Deloitte appoints new specialist valuation team

Deloitte in Scotland has announced the appointment of a specialist team of business valuers, which it says gives the business advisory firm a unique proposition for clients north of the border.

Director Colin Tait, manager Craig Whyte, and assistant manager Robbie Glass have all joined the firm, bringing with them over 25 years of experience.

Mr Tait led PwC’s valuation business from 2009, growing it substantially to become recognised locally as a leading expert in financial services and transaction-related valuations.

Based in Edinburgh, the team will broaden Deloitte’s existing corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) services. In addition, given the expansion by a number of Scottish clients into London and global markets, the team will be part of Deloitte’s specialist valuations team based in London and the firm’s leading financial services practice.

Gavin Hood, head of advisory corporate finance at Deloitte in Scotland, and Andrew Robinson, the head of Valuation for Deloitte in the UK and EMEA, see a growing opportunity to provide valuations services in the local market, which the new team will be able to harness.

Mr Hood said: “Growing our valuations practice is an important part of our overall corporate finance strategy – we’ve been looking to do this nationally for some time. The team is an additional string to our bow in Scotland and an important offering for Deloitte in the Scottish market. It is a unique proposition for our clients and will help set us apart from competitors as a distinctive choice.”

Andrew Robinson said: “Our investment in this team demonstrates the level of opportunity we see in providing a local valuations service, which complements our existing strengths in financial advisory. The team knows the market very well, particularly in the financial services sector, and will be in a great position to hit the ground running.”

Colin Tait added: “It has been proven that Scottish companies want local expertise which is closely linked to wider valuations practices in London and globally. This is exactly what we are providing. Working alongside Gavin Hood in Scotland and Andrew Robinson nationally is a huge opportunity which I am very excited about, as it gives us a great platform to continue to grow what the team and I have developed over the past seven years.

“Clients will be able to benefit from a seamless experience in all aspects of corporate finance locally, which will create efficiencies and, more importantly, stronger working relationships as we know and understand the Scottish market.”

Deloitte has also added another experienced partner, Bill Stamatis, to its national valuation practice. He joins from the Toronto office of Deloitte where he has been a partner for eight years.