New partner appointed at EQ accountants

East coast accountancy firm EQ Accountants, which has offices in Cupar, Dundee, Forfar and Glenrothes, has announced the appointment of a new partner.

Ross Oliphant, 33, who specialises in corporate and personal taxation, takes up his position within the firm’s Glenrothes office this week, one year after the firm merged with former Fife firm Carters, a move which has increased EQ’s turnover from £4 million to over £6.5 million.

The firm says it plans to grow further and recruit into a range of positions within the months ahead. It already employs over 100 staff and has 15 partners.

Mr Oliphant was born and bred in Fife, and having spent most of his career in Dunfermline, he joins EQ from Thomson Cooper.

He undertook his examinations with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, qualifying nine years ago, and became a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) in 2013.

His CIOT qualification is the Gold Standard in tax qualifications, allowing him to offer the highest level of expertise to clients in all aspects of tax planning.

Mr Oliphant said: “I am delighted and proud to be joining EQ as a Partner, a firm with a strong reputation for excellence. Having spent most of my working life here in Fife, my network of business contacts and extensive local knowledge will stand me in good stead when it comes to supporting existing clients and growing the firm’s Fife operations.”

Peter Southcott, a partner at EQ, added: “The purpose behind the merger of EQ and Carters last year was to create and strengthen the firm’s capabilities, creating an exciting professional accountancy and taxation firm to help clients meet their business and personal financial objectives. However, we also strive to present our team with great career opportunities, and attract the very best staff. I am therefore delighted that Ross has joined EQ. His tax qualification as a member of the Chartered Institute of Tax and specialism in corporate and personal tax linked to his experience as a general practitioner will be an added bonus to the Glenrothes office.”

Ross is a married father-of-one, and lives in Dalgety Bay, Fife.

A keen golfer, he is also Treasurer of Dunfermline Round Table.