As Chief Executive Officer, Dr Stephen Bence is responsible for driving Vardags’ growth. In 2015, Vardags was the only law firm to feature on The Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100, as the 46th fastest-growing company in the United Kingdom, and in 2016 Vardags was named by the FT as one of the 1000 fastest growing companies in Europe. The firm now has the largest divorce team in the country and now offers a broad range of legal services to high net worth individuals and their companies.
Stephen also founded and for many years led the firm’s financial forensics department; he regularly consults with clients and attends court in relation to case strategy and forensics in financial cases.
Stephen read Natural Sciences at Peterhouse, University of Cambridge and has a PhD in Astrophysics from the university’s Cavendish Laboratory. His research focused on the formation of young stars.
Stephen is a sought-after expert on financial matters pertaining to divorce. Stephen also co-authored “Mathematical Methods for Physics and Engineering”, a standard textbook at Cambridge, Oxford and many other universities worldwide.
Stephen’s career started as a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Co where he worked with global blue-chip organisations on a broad range of projects in particular corporate strategy and organisation. Since then, Stephen has spent time as an entrepreneur and investor, creating a series of successful ventures. In addition to his role at Vardags he is Founder and Chairman of Beauhurst which has been described as “Bloomberg for private companies” and which has been growing at 50-60% per annum for many years.
Italian.
Stephen enjoys performing and listening to classical music and going to the opera. He is also an avid F1 fan and a lifelong Leicester City supporter. He has seven (yes 7!) children and step-children.
We offer a free consultation to suitable clients, typically those where the family's net assets are in excess of £1m or the combined income is in excess of £150,000
Vardags is one of the UK’s top divorce law firms. We specialise in complex, high net worth and international cases. Our President Ayesha Vardag has been widely described as “Britain’s Top Divorce Lawyer” and the “Diva of Divorce”.
Our divorce solicitors have been involved in some of the highest profile cases of recent years at all levels up to the Supreme Court. Most of our cases are managed discreetly and are kept out of the media, but we are adept at managing the press if necessary.
Our top divorce lawyers have acted for or against financiers, entrepreneurs, footballers, celebrities, members of royal families, and the aristocracy. We fight hard where necessary but negotiate to get the best result whenever possible.