We are very proud of Finders International, one of our Trusted Suppliers, who were winners of the ‘Best Use of Marketing & Social Media’ award at the British Wills & Probate Awards in October last year.
Given their success, we spoke to the team and want to take the opportunity to shine a spotlight on their story...
Tell us a bit about yourselves and what you do.
Finders International are an award-winning probate genealogy company who trace heirs to estate, property and asset worldwide. We are now in our 25th year and from our offices in London, Edinburgh, Dublin and Sydney, we are able to provide a comprehensive range of global research and support services; tracing missing/unknown beneficiaries, through to carrying out overseas bankruptcy searches, finding missing wills and assets and dealing with complex overseas asset matters. We work with numerous Solicitors, estate administration professionals and financial institutions within the Private sector. We also provide a free next of kin tracing service for the public sector including local authorities, coroners and hospitals. We complete hundreds of pro-bono cases every year, helping with stories of reunions of family separated by war or forced adoption and reuniting people with family heirlooms such as their ancestors lost war medals or long-lost books.
We are so proud of our achievements at the BWAP Awards. We won the ‘Best use of marketing and social media’ Award which is such an achievement for our Marketing team as they work really hard to promote the brand and our services, as well as educate and provide relevant training to the Private and Public Sector. We were over the moon to also come highly commended in the ‘Probate Research Firm of the Year’ category as we aim to continue to provide the best possible service to our clients. We strive for excellence, so we are also entering the Probate Research Awards next year and hope to do just as well, if not better!
Finders International. is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. What have been some of the highlights of the last 25 years?
Our MD, Danny Curran, set up the business in 1997 from a small office in South West London. The company has grown so much since then, and we now have over 150 personnel across 4 offices in North London, Edinburgh, Dublin and Sydney. We hope to continue this record of growth over the next 25 years!
Finders International. has featured on BBC 1’s Heir Hunters since its launch in 2009. How has this impacted business and have you seen an increase in people reaching out to you?
The programme has definitely raised the profile of Probate Genealogists amongst the public, and certainly assists in helping them understand a niche area of work that is previously quite unknown. We receive lots of enquiries for people wanting to delve into their family history, and some of stories people share are of real historical interest. We have had a number of stories relating to beneficiaries in the press, showing the continued interest the public have in their family history and how this ties in to the world of probate genealogy.
Why did you join the Best Foundation and how do you feel it has helped your business so far?
When we learnt about the launch of the Best Foundation, and its ideas and driving force, we were keen to be involved in such an innovative organisation. It is really important for us as an unregulated industry to gain the trust of our clients, partners and suppliers. Therefore, we pride ourselves on the accreditations we have achieved to showcase our achievements, standards, beliefs and ethics. We want to support the Best foundation’s mission in educating the public when it comes to estate planning. We believe in the messages of innovation and collaboration in our own company, and hope to be able to work closely with its members to provide a valuable support service. As new members, we are looking forward to being more involved, and exploring how we can work in tandem with the Foundation and its members to strengthen and communicate its message.
