Paul Skinner

The firm is one of the consultants chosen by Glasgow City Council to provide advice to SMEs through the authority’s Business Growth Consultancy Framework, which aims to deliver sustainable growth and improve business start-up and survival rates.

Harper Macleod’s corporate and commercial specialists will deliver services related to business structuring, growth and financial management. Harper Macleod was previously appointed to advise on business structuring when the Framework was launched in 2017 and the new contract will run until December 2022.

Paula Skinner, lead partner of the team which will advise the city’s SMEs, said: “Over the past few years we have worked with hundreds of SMEs to help them scale-up their operations and we are delighted to have been chosen to extend the services we will provide under the Business Growth Framework.

“Our team of specialists know what it takes to grow a business, not just in terms of advising others but by having done so ourselves. Harper Macleod started from a small Glasgow base and is now one of Scotland’s leading law firms, and we are able to pass on the knowledge and experience we have gained from walking the walk in this regard.

“Glasgow is one of the most business friendly cities in the UK and the Framework initiative has been very successful by focusing on providing the professional advice businesses need rather than simply offering grants. We are looking forward to helping the city’s businesses achieve even greater growth and success over the next three years.”

Glasgow City Council’s new Glasgow Business Growth Programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through Scotland’s European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) programmes and will be delivered by the Business Growth team within Economic Development.

Harper Macleod’s appointments came under lots 1, 2 and 4 of the Business Growth Consultancy Framework. Lot 1, business structuring, covers issues including board development, business succession, franchising, governance and ethical management. Lot 2, business growth consultancy, aims to improve some measure of an enterprise’s success and includes matters such mergers & acquisitions. And lot 4, business financial management, includes advising on matters such as preparing for investment and alternative finance.