Twin-pronged initiatives have been launched to lure accountants and private and family offices to the island.

The campaigns are being backed by both government and private enterprise.

Locate Isle of Man, part of the Department for Enterprise, has opened a dedicated online accountancy careers hub in a targeted campaign to support local businesses and help fill skilled roles within the Isle of Man’s finance sector.

Now a couple who are both trained accountants have spoken to Business News about how there is much more to being an accountant than many would imagine.

Sarah Kewin said the old image of accountants in grey suits was old-fashioned.

She said: ‘The profession is a lot more dynamic these days.’

She and her husband Eddie have visited schools extolling the virtues of accountancy.

She said: ‘I truly believe we have an untapped resource here, right on our doorstep in the form of our local young people. And youngsters can go straight into this profession, and with hard work, become professionaly qualified, without the need of going to university.’

The campaign has been launched in collaboration with the executive board of the agency Finance Isle of Man.

Over the past six months, there has been an average of 27 vacant roles for qualified accountants each month, and an average 20 unfilled trainee accountancy roles. The blitz is also aimed at qualified accountants in the UK and Ireland and highlights the quantity and quality of work available in the Isle of Man.

Finance Isle of Man has also launched a targeted campaign to support and promote the Isle of Man’s family and private office proposition.

A family office is often defined as a privately-held company that handles investment management and wealth management for a wealthy family.

This initiative will target international private client professionals including private client lawyers, accountants, wealth managers, bankers and trust companies across global financial markets.

Lawrie Hooper MHK, member with responsibility for Finance Isle of Man, said: ‘The island already has a number of well-established single and multi-functional family and private offices; this campaign looks to build on this success, promoting the Isle of Man as a strong, stable and secure jurisdiction of choice for an array of family office services’.

Anne Couper Woods, director at IQE International Fiduciary Services, a participant in an industry working group, said: ‘I think the campaign demonstrates many compelling reasons to use the Isle of Man as a location for family and private offices, while highlighting the breadth of experience available across the financial and professional services sector on island.’

In addition, the campaign will feature at a number of high-profile gatherings.