Matthew Gilligan receives global STEP Founder’s Award for Outstanding Achievement

Saffery Trust Guernsey Associate Director, Matthew Gilligan, has received a global STEP Founder’s Award for Outstanding Achievement. Matthew joins an elite group of recipients who have demonstrated an exceptional and sustained commitment to STEP, surpassing expectations.

Matthew has volunteered with STEP for over a decade, where he became the first student to be appointed as Student Liaison Officer for STEP Guernsey, a position which had previously been held by more senior members.

He proposed and spearheaded the establishment of ‘STEP NextGen’ an innovative initiative to support – and provide a platform for – individuals who are either considering, or are in the early stages of, careers within trust or associated industries.

In 2023, under Matthew’s leadership, Guernsey became the first jurisdiction globally to launch STEP NextGen, followed by the Cayman Islands STEP NextGen initiative, which is sponsored by Saffery Trust.

Matthew was appointed as Deputy Chair of the STEP Guernsey Committee in 2023 and the Global Chair of the STEP NextGen Working Group in 2024.

Matthew also suggested that STEP include more categories at its annual Private Client Awards to recognise the next generation of industry professionals, which this year has included the addition of the “Rising Star (non-legal)” category, where previously the rising star category was for legal industry professionals only.

Matthew said: “It is an incredible honour to receive this award, and one which I did not expect. My career within the trusts and estates industry continues to be hugely fulfilling, and I am highly motivated to support the next generation in developing their careers and achieving their goals. I hope that the recognition I have received will help to demonstrate that it is always worth expressing your ideas and supporting innovation, and that it is possible to have a far-reaching impact, even from a small island such as Guernsey.”

Matthew is the first Saffery Trust team member to receive this award. Saffery Trust Managing Director, Nick Batiste, said:

“Receiving this award is an exceptional achievement and incredibly well deserved. Matt is an excellent role model within the industry and embodies the core values of both Saffery Trust and STEP. Matt has undoubtedly made an outstanding contribution to the profession, and I have no doubt that he will continue to shape the future of the industry.”