Scott-Moncrieff and Callander Colgan to merge

The Glasgow and Edinburgh-based accountancy practice said the move will give it an increased presence in the Highlands and a permanent base from which to serve new and existing clients.

The merger will take effect from 1 May with the expanded firm retaining the Scott-Moncrieff name.

Callander Colgan was established in 2008, and focuses on providing a comprehensive range of audit, accountancy and business advisory services to clients across the Highland region.

Scott-Moncrieff, which claims to be the oldest accountancy firm in Scotland, has until now had only an informal presence in Inverness.

The merger will see Mhairi Callander become a partner within the newly expanded firm, heading up the Inverness office.

Brian Colgan will remain as a director.

All 12 staff will be retained in the Inverness office post-merger.

Stewart MacDonald, managing partner of Scott-Moncrieff (pictured), said: “When I became managing partner of Scott-Moncrieff in 2013, I said that we would not shy away from consolidation, but instead would take the time to seek out new partners and deals that offer the best for us and our clients.

“Our merger with Callander Colgan does just that – we have a growing client base in the Highlands, with a particularly strong public sector practice, and the time is right for us to have an established local presence. Callander Colgan, as an extremely strong business with a complimentary skill set, is the ideal merger partner for us and by coming together, both businesses stand to benefit a great deal.”

Mhairi Callander added: “Merging with Scott-Moncrieff is a huge opportunity for the business, and it also gives our staff the chance to develop within the context of a larger firm with an international network. Our objective of providing clients with a high quality personal service will not change, and can only be enhanced by the merger.”

Scott-Moncrieff, which is the oldest accountancy firm in Scotland, has announced the appointment of five new partners in the last six months.

The firm is a member of Moore Stephens UK, and a part of the Moore Stephens International Network, now one of the leading international accounting and consulting networks outside the Big 4, comprising 636 offices of member and correspondent firms in 100 countries worldwide, involving over 21,000 partners, principals and staff.