The inaugural BEST Foundation Conference saw a new Chair appointed as Trevor Worth stepped down to be replaced by Philip Pamment.
Worth, Founder and Managing Director of Portcullis Legals in Plymouth, was appointed the first Chair of the Advisory Board, alongside a Charlotte Ponder (Legal Director at CTT Group) who sits as Vice-Chair. The BEST Foundation was launched in 2022 and stands for British Estate and Succession Trust Planning Practitioners. It describes itself as “the UK’s newest, forward-thinking, self-regulated non-profit Foundation for Estate Planning professionals”.
The inaugural “Inspiration & Innovation Conference 2023” hosted at Silverstone, the home of Formula 1 in the UK, saw around 100 estate planning professionals come together to discuss innovation and technology, and hear from speakers Piers Linney (ex Dragon’s Den) Amelia Sordell, founder of Klowt, and boxer Frank Bruno.
Closing the conference, Worth announced his decision to step down. Speaking to Today’s Wills and Probate, Worth said;
“When Charlotte and I were first talking about creating a completely different organisation for the tired, grey old willwriting sector 18 months ago, what we saw and heard at our inaugural B.E.S.T. Foundation Conference at Silverstone is exactly what we envisioned.”
I promised when I was asked to Chair the Foundation that I would only serve one year and together we would attract hundreds of members, create new and exclusive corporate partnerships for trustee accounts, new digital offerings, a new educational career path with external credibility and a soon to be launched innovative PI solution exclusive to B.E.S.T. Members. My ambition was to end on a high with a 21st century legal innovation and branding conference at a world class venue with world class speakers and we have achieved all of that in just 12 months.”
I am proud of where we have come in such a short period and delighted to hand the reins over to my friend of 25 years Phil Pamment. A great guy with years of coalface experience of sitting in front of clients and who will help take the Foundation forward as the only real choice for estate planning membership if you want to be forward thinking and not just paying a membership fee to have a badge.”
On his appointment, Philip Pamment, PAA Associates, paid tribute to Trevor Worth:
“I feel very honoured to be elected as the next chairperson of the BEST foundation. Following the industry champion Trevor, I will have big shoes to fill.
My plan is to continue the excellent work the advisory board having been doing over the last 12 months and continue to grow our membership.
I’m positive that together we can continue to disrupt and continue to raise the standards within the industry.
Also, as I said yesterday this is a great industry to work in and there has never been a better time to be part of it. So I say to all those looking in on from the outside wondering what are doing: come and join us, as we are here to stay.”
In recognition of Worth’s contribution to the organisation, he was elected the first President of BEST and Fellow of the Foundation:
“I was very honoured to be elected as the first President and Fellow of the Foundation out of the blue and I thank everyone of my Advisory Panel for the surprise gesture but it is very much appreciated. Thank you to every member, sponsor, and partner that has joined our journey in the past year too and there is much more to come.”
The group has been a vocal critic of the delays suffered by practitioners at the OPG and has also campaigned against pre-paid probate plans.
