Craig Steven-Jennings

Partner – Head of Real Estate Audit for KPMG in the UK

KPMG in the UK

Craig is a Chartered Accountant by training and practiced as an Audit Partner for 10 years in South Africa before joining the UK firm in June 2015. He has over 20 years’ experience advising businesses, largely privately owned, across a variety of sectors and industries on matters ranging from strategy through to exit. Craig’s focus in the UK market is primarily on Real Estate. He has supported such businesses in a number of areas, including:

  • Growth – helping clients achieve and manage their growth aspirations
  • Complex challenges – helping clients solve complex challenges
  • Compliance – assisting clients fulfil their compliance requirements across audit, tax and other areas
  • Technology – understand how technology is impacting clients’ industries as well as how effectively they use technology within their businesses
  • Exit – maximising value when introducing minority parties, disposing of part of the business or full exit

Craig prides himself in building close working relationships with his clients, having broad conversations that are focussed on his clients’ issues and demonstrating what KPMG is capable of through exceptional delivery. In the capacity, Craig has led the KPMG relationship with businesses such as McLaren Property, Fusion Students, Arup, Sir Robert McAlpine, Redevco, Gazeley, Willmott Dixon, London Square, The Office Group, Evans Randall, LifeCare Residences, Octopus Healthcare, Runway East and others.

In South Africa Craig was the audit partner on the V&A Waterfront real estate business for a number of years and saw it through a change in ownership from Dubai World (Istithmar) to joint ownership between Growthpoint (SA REIT) and the Public Investment Corporation in South Africa. He also looked after the audit of Pam Golding South Africa for many years, South Africa’s largest real estate agency.

Having spent 4 years in a Real Estate sector leadership role in London, Craig is has gone back to his core skill set and is leading the delivery of statutory audits again in the Real Estate Audit team including Tishman Speyer, Hermes Real Estate, M7 Real Estate (Europe), UPP REIT, Telford Homes Limited, Global Student Accommodation (UK & Europe), Realty Income UK and others. M7 and GSA include the coordination of a number of component audits across Europe.

Craig is responsible for the execution of the highest quality audit as well as keeping in mind the bigger picture and exceptional client service.

  • Family Owned Businesses
  • Middle Market
  • Private companies
  • Chartered Accountant (South Africa)

  • Member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants

  • Affilate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales

  • Registered Auditor (IRBA)