2011

Merger for Baker Tilly (UK) and The Charlton Williamson Partnership

27 Sep 2011

Leading accountancy and business advisory firm Baker Tilly (UK) has announced a local merger with The Charlton Williamson Partnership LLP, further increasing the size of Baker Tilly's Newcastle office.

The combined businesses will continue to serve clients throughout the north east region with Charlton Williamson's staff transferring to Baker Tilly's offices at St James' Gate in the city centre over the coming weeks to make up a total complement of seven partners and 60 professional and support staff in the Newcastle office.

The merger demonstrates Baker Tilly's continuing commitment to its clients and the business community in the north east and further strengthens the service offering to clients of Charlton Williamson, as well as providing greater critical mass to support and service existing and future clients of the merged firm.

Commenting on the merger, Jim Meakin, office managing partner at Baker Tilly in Newcastle, said: "We are delighted to be joined by the Charlton Williamson partners and their team, who share our client focused philosophy. The quality client base and additional critical mass they bring through the merger will help us to continue to grow our business in the region".

Jim added: "Charlton Williamson is highly regarded by the local business community and through our merger discussions we were increasingly impressed by the committed team of partners and staff the firm has built up. Not surprisingly, this has been matched by a first-class client base of successful, growing local businesses. We believe that the clients and staff of both firms will reap the benefits of combining our businesses locally as we capitalise on the increased opportunities for long-term success".

The Charlton Williamson Partnership's David Charlton and Stuart McKinnon will retain their role as partners in Baker Tilly following the merger.

David set up the business, which bears his name, in 1992 and brought to the market a unique approach to meeting the accounting and financial support requirements of the owner managed business sector. Stuart joined as a tax partner in 1996 and the pair has since grown a successful niche business concentrating on partner-led client service.  

David comments: "The Charlton Williamson Partnership has been providing clients with a wide range of 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, concludes: "The merger with Charlton Williamson will enable us to continue our growth strategy throughout the north, which is underpinned by improving the quality of the offices from which we already operate by acquiring quality people and quality businesses.

"I am delighted to welcome David and the Charlton Williamson team to Baker Tilly, bringing with them a capability across the board of the services we provide, and particularly in Tax, which will strengthen and enhance our offering to the benefit of new and existing clients."