2011

Merger for Baker Tilly (UK) and Stephen Hay & Associates

13 Oct 2011

Leading accountancy and business advisory firm Baker Tilly (UK) has announced a local merger with Stephen Hay & Associates in Edinburgh, further increasing the size and quality of Baker Tilly in Scotland.

The combined practice, which now has 23 partners and 170 staff working from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Lerwick locations, will continue to serve clients throughout Scotland with Stephen Hay's staff transferring to Baker Tilly's office at Fountainbridge in Edinburgh city centre over the coming weeks.

The merger demonstrates Baker Tilly's continuing commitment to its clients and the business community in Scotland and further strengthens the service offering to clients of Stephen Hay & Associates, as well as providing greater critical mass to support and service existing and future clients of the merged firm.

Commenting on the merger, Robert Ross, managing partner at Baker Tilly in Scotland, said: "The merger with Stephen Hay & Associates will enable us to continue our growth strategy throughout Scotland, which is underpinned by improving the quality of the offices from which we already operate by growing quality people and working with quality clients.

"Stephen Hay & Associates is a fantastic firm with an excellent reputation for providing quality solutions to clients. They have a particular focus in tax, which will strengthen and enhance our offering to the benefit of existing and new clients."

Stephen Hay, Kevin Meaney, Shirley McIntosh and Norma Wilson from Stephen Hay & Associates will retain their roles as partners in Baker Tilly following the merger.

Stephen Hay commented: "At Stephen Hay we have been providing clients with a wide range of predominantly tax-led services that have not generally been available from other firms of a similar size. Our merger with Baker Tilly will enable us to take this proposition to another level for the benefit of our clients, with the skill sets of partners and staff from both firms complementing each other to give additional breadth and depth to the overall service offering."

Baker Tilly's northern regional managing partner, Kevin O'Connor, concluded: "I am delighted with the merger between Baker Tilly and Stephen Hay & Associates as it underpins our philosophy of complementing our organic growth with the addition of quality firms. The merger gives us a fantastic combined operation in Edinburgh and demonstrates our commitment to the Scottish market place."