As the professional services advisory firm marks its 10th year in business, it reflects on its achievements and looks forward to driving more success in the finance industry.
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Hutcheon Mearns was established ten years ago on April Fool’s Day. But founder and managing director Craig Hutcheon was serious about filling a need in the finance sector.
He said: “What I wanted to do was create a business that gave different options when it came to resource problems, focusing on my expertise in the finance and accounting space.”
With years of experience working at companies like KPMG and SCF Partners-backed Reservoir Group, Craig started Hutcheon Mearns, which initially offered consulting and recruitment solutions.
“We took a unique approach, thinking of what kind of process we would like as a client but also as a candidate. We focused on building relationships,” explained Craig.
Growing despite the odds
A pivotal moment came two years later when Adam Maitland joined the company to lead the deals division. Adam had previously worked with Craig at Reservoir Group where they worked on 30 acquisitions before the private equity-based buy and build business was sold in 2013.
In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic held back the firm’s expansion plans. But it had a strategy that was ready to go as soon as restrictions were lifted.
Craig shared: “We’re of the mindset that where there’s an issue in a market, a recession or a downturn, there’s always opportunity. If you focus on the positives, you hold steady to your word. You will come out stronger. That’s what we did.”
Now, Hutcheon Mearns has a total of 70 employees across four offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with plans to open more down south or even outside the UK.
Plans for the future
Looking to its future, the company aims to build on its accountancy solutions across the three pillars of its business model: People, Deals and Digital.
“We’re going to provide business intelligence solutions like data automation so that businesses can analyse their data far quicker,” Craig said.
The company plans to roll out a new website and refreshed branding in the middle of 2025.
In keeping with this year’s theme of 10, the firm will also aim to hit a revenue target of £10m and to grow its number of employees by 10.
Keys to success
For Craig, one key to Hutcheon Mearns’ success is the team they’ve built over the years. He said: “We employ exceptional people and ensure they have the opportunities to grow themselves with us. A great example of this is Claire Clark who joined us on five hours a week when she was returning to work. She’s now on our board and has been a key driver behind the growth in our business.
“We progressively hire high-calibre individuals. That means our clients are getting the best solutions from the best people.”
Hutcheon Mearns is poised to continue its trajectory of success with its excellent team, its steadfast commitment to its clients and a clear vision for its future.
Craig said: “We’re always looking ahead and what’s coming. As a business, we’re agile; we react to change quite quickly.
“We are collaborative, so we spend a lot of time with our clients, working with them on solutions.
“We’re an innovative company. We like to create solutions that are different to traditional accountancy firms. We want to be challenging convention in our approach.”
Visit Hutcheon Mearns’s website to find out how the company can support your growth journey.
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