One of Aberdeen’s best-known accountants is at the heart of a “merger” between two city firms serving a total of more than 1,000 clients.
Simon Cowie’s Infinity Partnership and Accord Tax and Accountancy have joined forces to create a combined business with a turnover of £2million and a staff of nine.
There are plans to recruit an additional three people and move Accord from its Bon Accord Square premises into Infinity’s offices in Albert Street.
A spokesman said the combination of the two businesses, which will continue to operate under their own names, was based on the mutual benefits and did not involve money changing hands.
Infinity – a finalist in the 2015 Scottish Accountancy Awards – has completed more than 50 deals in the mergers and acquisitions market, with a combined value of more than £200million, since it was founded by Mr Cowie in 2011.
It has clients from Shetland to Southampton and completed projects in the US, Australia and Middle East.
Mr Cowie, 2014 Scottish Dealmaker of the Year, said: “Accord has an international client base and has a strong reputation for its tax advisory and compliance specialisms, while we bring strong business advisory skills to the table, in particular in the mergers and acquisitions arena.
“The merger is the ideal coming together, not only for us but also our clients. The aim is to continue to build a full-service accountancy business.”
Mr Cowie was previously a partner at Hall Morrice in Aberdeen.
Accord – run by John Atkinson and Anne Torrance – said the move created a “huge opportunity” for both businesses.
Mr Atkinson, who has practised in Aberdeen for 30 years, added: “A key advantage will be our ability to broaden the portfolio of services available to clients.”