AAB launches new Edinburgh office on 5th anniversary

AAB, the tech-enabled business critical services group will launch their new, expanded office this week in the heart of Edinburgh.

The move to their new base on the city’s prestigious George Street comes as the Edinburgh team celebrate the milestone of their 5th year of supporting clients in the city. AAB first opened an office in the capital in 2018, with just 5 team members, which has since grown to encompass 80 people. The new, larger office space is capable of housing more than 110 AAB Group team members, including those from AAB Wealth, AAB People and AAB Consulting.

As AAB Group continues to grow across the UK and internationally, the facilities in the new Edinburgh office have been designed to provide a collaborative working environment for colleagues both in the UK and across the globe. The office is fully equipped with tech-enabled meeting rooms, social areas, quiet spaces and break-out areas.

Lyn Calder, Managing Partner Edinburgh commented: “This is a phenomenally exciting time for our team. Our new state-of-the-art office truly reflects the growth we have experienced since we launched AAB in Edinburgh in 2018. The new space will allow us to host clients, as well as providing our teams with fantastic spaces for collaborative working.”

Serving an international client base, AAB’s Edinburgh office has generated £6million revenue in the last year, with growth anticipated to be more than 25% over the next 12 months.

A further 30 people are expected to join the AAB Group team based in the Edinburgh office throughout 2023.

AAB Group currently employs more than 750 people in offices in Scotland, England, Ireland and internationally.

The full address of the Edinburgh office is:

81 George St

Edinburgh

EH2 3ES

AAB Group Announces Largest Partner Promotion Round

AAB Group has announced the largest promotion round to date with four new Partners, a new Managing Partner and four existing Partners taking on additional responsibility in Business Unit Head roles as the business-critical services group continues to grow from strength to strength.  

The promotion round reflects the rapid growth journey the group has been on since securing investment from London-based August Equity.  

Four Directors who have a combined tenure at AAB Group spanning more than 56 years have been appointed to Partner from 1st April 2023. The new Partners have all progressed through the bespoke partner development programme which is designed specifically to nurture talent and facilitate career progression at AAB Group.  

Lynn Wilson – Corporate Tax Partner, Stuart Petrie – Business Advisory Services Partner, Jill Walker – Private Client Partner and Gunhild Dam – Private Client Partner all provide specialist tax support to businesses and individuals across the UK and internationally.  

From the same date, the Leeds office will welcome James Hunt as Managing Partner. James joined the firm as a graduate and continues to support clients ranging from law firms to manufacturing clients and large multi-national groups. 

Since October 2021 the group has more than doubled revenue and headcount across the UK and Ireland. As a result of this growth the group is continuing to develop the next generation of leaders with the appointment of 4 new Business Unit Heads responsible for their respective areas across AAB Group.  

Paula Fraser – Head of Private Client, Lauren McCluskey – Head of Virtual Finance Function, Gordon Steele – Head of Corporate Finance, David Purse – Head of Payroll and Employment Taxes. 

Graeme Allan, Chief Executive at AAB Group commented: “I am immensely proud of each individual promotion across the group. We are an extremely ambitious firm and I am thrilled that we are delivering unmatched opportunities for our people. We remain committed to investing in the talent across our business to further enhance the awesome client service we deliver day in, day out for businesses and individuals.” 

Graeme added: “While these appointments have been made based on merit, I am delighted that we can recognise that 5 of the 9 appointments are female leaders in the Group.”   

AAB accelerates growth with US payroll acquisition

AAB, the tech-enabled business critical services group has today announced its global payroll & mobility growth plans have taken a significant step forward with the acquisition of its current United States (US) payroll partner Dominion Systems Inc, including its highly sophisticated US payroll software and experienced US payroll team.

AAB has been on a rapid growth journey since the firm secured investment from London-based August Equity in October 2021, with this acquisition marking the seventh business to join the Group in the past sixteen months. The acquisition will strengthen the global payroll business at AAB with Dominion’s US payroll advisory and compliance services forming a core part of this offering.  The deal is also highly complementary with the US global mobility tax practice launched last year providing individual and employment tax advisory and compliance support to clients with a US footprint.

The Dominion business, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has been a trusted partner of AAB for the last 5 years supporting AAB’s global payroll expansion plans. The newly acquired business will begin trading as AAB Payroll Inc with immediate effect. AAB Payroll Inc will be led by President Chris Andree who has been with Dominion for 10 years, latterly running Dominion’s payroll operations.

Douglas Michael, Partner and US Tax Practice Lead commented: “We are delighted to welcome the Dominion team to the AAB Group. We have seen an increasing number of businesses expanding to the US over the last few years from the UK from start-ups to established businesses requiring our specialist support in US payroll. Remaining compliant with cross-border payroll has never been more complex and our enhanced team will be able to support any business or individual working in the US.”

Chris Andree, President of AAB Payroll Inc added: “It’s exciting to be a part of the AAB journey, particularly in regard to firmly establishing and growing payroll and advisory operations in the United States. Having worked directly with the Payroll and Employment Taxes team over the past 5 years, I have witnessed the rapid expansion in both scope of service and geography first-hand which undoubtedly is underpinned by a people first culture and commitment to client service.”

We understand that global compliance has never been more complex. Our US integrated employment solutions team are on hand to help you navigate compliantly through the process from start to finish.

 

AAB’s Neil Dinnes Joins Tag Alliances Advisory Board

AAB Group launch AAB People with re-brand of Purpose HR

AAB, the tech-enabled business critical services group, has today (Monday 9th January) launched AAB People with the re-branding of Purpose HR. The newly created AAB People brand is dedicated to supporting businesses who value their teams and see them as critical to their success. The experienced team at AAB People provide support by building strategies and philosophies to create cultures that thrive and help people to deliver their best work. The team are also able to support with operational and day-to-day needs of businesses who are growing and are yet to establish their own in-house teams or those who require additional support to supplement their existing teams. 

Purpose HR was founded by Lisa Thomson in 2014 and joined the AAB Group in 2021, now with a team of more than 20 specialists based in offices across Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Purpose HR will become ‘AAB People’ from 9th January 2023.  

Douglas Martin, Chief Commercial Officer at AAB Group said: “We have rapidly grown the AAB Group over the past 15 months since August Equity invested in the business and introducing our new AAB People business unit allows us to simplify our services supporting existing and new clients. Our AAB People team have a wealth of experience working with companies of all sizes across a range of industries supporting with organisational strategy and people & culture development. The bespoke support on offer from our team is tailored to the unique needs of each client and we can’t wait to help more businesses achieve their goals in 2023 with AAB People as their chosen partner.” 

Think People joined AAB Group in August 2022 will continue to trade as Think People.  

For more information about services, please visit the AAB People website. 

AAB launch new bespoke service to help tackle finance resourcing challenges

Since launching in 2018, the Virtual Finance Function (VFF) team at AAB has grown from just two team members based in Aberdeen to now employ twenty-eight dedicated team members across the UK, and accounts for over £3 million of annual revenue across the AAB Group.

The Virtual Finance offering was designed based on the needs of business owners and their own finance team structure and plans. The service has proven to be a vital addition for businesses scaling-up or those beginning to trade outside of the UK.

In January 2023 the firm will expand the Virtual Finance team further with the launch of a new service – Strategic Finance Solutions – supporting businesses with statutory and technical accounting, finance secondments and project support. This service will enhance support for clients who may be challenged with team resource in the preparation of year end statutory accounts and across the wider finance team. The new service also gives access to a full range of specialists able to support with budgets, forecasting, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Generally Accepted Accounting Practice in the UK (UK GAAP) and other framework accounting. The team will also be available for secondments to businesses with longer term projects requiring assistance.

Lauren McCluskey, Virtual Finance Function Partner at AAB said: “The growth we have experienced in the team since 2018 shows how fundamental the VFF service is to growing businesses across the UK. We hear first-hand from our clients the difference that our bespoke service makes to their daily operations and the trusted relationships we build allows our team of specialists to support business growth across a wide range of industry sectors.”

Ian Chapman, Virtual Finance Function Senior Manager will lead the Strategic Finance Solutions team at AAB. Ian added: “Recruitment and retention of good people in finance teams is a big challenge for businesses and I know our enhanced service offering will give these businesses the support and peace of mind they need in the challenging economic environment. January is the ideal time to begin thinking about end of year reporting and if your business may need additional support with this.”

Businesses seeking support with their year-end reporting are encouraged to get in touch with AAB now to discuss your individual requirements. Find out more about our new Strategic Finance Solutions service here.

AAB boost Corporate Tax team in Central Scotland

AAB, the tech-enabled business critical services group, has appointed a new Corporate Tax Partner based in their office in the heart of Edinburgh.

Alan Campbell joins the firm with more than 20 years experience providing specialist tax advice to businesses of all sizes including entrepreneurial, high-growth and international businesses. Alan joins AAB from EY where he held the position of Transaction Tax Partner and responsibilities included due diligence, tax structuring and corporate tax advisory.

Neil Dinnes, Partner and Head of Corporate & International Tax commented: “In this period of economic uncertainty, specialist tax advice has never been more important. Alan is a fantastic addition to our team, his passion for supporting clients to achieve their goals in the UK and internationally will further enhance our specialist support to businesses trading across a wide range of industry sectors.”

On his appointment, Alan commented: “I have been aware of AAB for many years, particularly through their prominence in the deals market and have admired the exceptional growth journey the business is on. I have a passion for supporting high-growth businesses and the opportunity for me to join a business also experiencing that exciting growth phase is one that I knew would be a perfect fit. I look forward to integrating with the team and collaborating with our clients.”

AAB Group appoint new Chief Operating Officer

AAB has announced the appointment of a new Chief Operating Officer as part of its continued expansion just a year after the group secured investment from August Equity to fast-track its growth plans.

Derek Mitchell has been part of the AAB team for over 16 years and has seen the business grow from 80 people in Aberdeen to now employing more than 700 people across 10 locations in the UK and Ireland.

In the new role of Chief Operating Officer, Derek will focus on improving business unit processes as well as developing new working practices and methodologies to support the global operations of AAB Group. His post will be a catalyst for technology driven growth and steer the group towards operational excellence.

Commenting on his appointment, Derek said: “I have had the privilege of working with the fantastic team at AAB for 16 years and I’m excited for what is on our road ahead. Each year the business has reached new heights and this next phase of growth is set to be the most exciting part yet. I am confident that with the dedicated team we have at AAB we will drive the business forward to deliver an unparalleled level of service to our clients. Our strategic growth plan will not only benefit our clients but also provide unmatched opportunities for our own people and building that is what I am truly excited about.”

Derek previously held the role of Managing Partner in Aberdeen. Steven Fraser, has been appointed to the role of Managing Partner, Aberdeen having led the Payroll and Employment Taxes team at AAB for more than five years.

Steven Fraser, Managing Partner at AAB commented: “Our team in Aberdeen is going from strength to strength and I am delighted to take over from Derek in the role of Managing Partner. Aberdeen is a thriving region for business and as part of AAB Group we are able to support our clients to achieve their goals with specialists in an array of business and professional services.”

Graeme Allan, Chief Executive at AAB Group added: “Both Derek and Steven have been integral to the success of the AAB Group and I am delighted to see both take the next step in their careers. Our ambitious growth plans require us to build high-performing teams whilst attracting and retaining the best people.  Having a team who are dedicated to helping both clients and team members achieve their goals is what makes this an exciting journey for us.”

In 2022 AAB Group has welcomed 300 people to the team and has strengthened the service offering across audit, accounting, tax, corporate finance, payroll, HR consulting, wealth management services to clients globally.

Featured left to right: Derek Mitchell and Steven Fraser

AAB Group growth continues with acquisition of R&D Tax Credit specialist

AAB, the tech-enabled business critical services group, has today announced a key acquisition to expand its R&D Tax Credit services offered across the UK and Ireland.

May Figures Ltd is an Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) regulated professional advisory firm and specialist provider of R&D Tax Credit advice. Established in 2013 by Julia May and Dr Mark Graves, the firm has grown across the UK, building a successful track record delivering over 3,500 successful R&D Tax Credit claims.

This service includes assessing eligibility, preparing financial and technical reports, maximising tax savings and cash rebates through tax planning initiatives and advising on optimum client supplier and customer contracts. The firm manages the entire process, from inception to filing with HMRC.

The highly specialised team at May Figures Ltd comprises Oxbridge PhD computer scientists, engineers, chartered accountants and chartered tax advisors, all of whom support a range of clients from tech start-ups to AIM listed groups and multinationals. May Figures Ltd’s specialist tax focus, coupled with its in-house technical and patent law-qualified team, delivers a level of expertise rarely available to SME clients. This year alone the firm has filed R&D claims worth more than £12 million on behalf of clients to date.

May Figures Ltd will continue to trade under its current name but will become an AAB Group company with immediate effect.

Following investment from August Equity 12 months ago, AAB Group has been building strong regional hubs across the UK and Ireland, with businesses who share the values and culture of the AAB Group. The acquisition of May Figures Ltd, for an undisclosed sum, is another significant step forward in building AAB’s reputation as a diversified business critical services group dedicated to helping clients achieve their goals.

Derek Gemmell, Partner and Head of Innovations Tax at AAB commented: “The group has grown rapidly this year, and with that growth we have seen an increasing number of our clients seeking support and specialist advice in R&D Tax Credits. I know our team will look forward to getting to know everyone at May Figures and welcome them as part of our expanded R&D team here at AAB.”

Neil Dinnes, Partner and Head of Corporate & International Tax said: “We are delighted to welcome the fantastic May Figures team to the AAB Group. This acquisition will strengthen our overall tax proposition by bringing specialist advice and advisory services to our clients across the UK, Ireland and internationally.”

Julia May, Founder of May Figures Limited added: “Joining AAB Group is a perfect fit for us as we have shared values in a number of key areas including client prioritisation, excellent service delivery, work ethos and team support, training and progression. I am delighted that May Figures will continue to lead the R&D tax credit technology start-up industry as an AAB Group company.”

AAB Group employs more than 650 people across 10 locations in the UK and Ireland. There are currently opportunities for specialists to join the Corporate Tax team at AAB Group across the UK and Ireland.

AAB Group strengthens Central Scotland leadership team

AAB Group, the tech-enabled business critical services group, has announced strategic appointments that develop talent and strengthen the leadership team based in Central Scotland. The promotion and appointment of four Directors covers a range of services offered by AAB Group including Business Advisory, Corporate Tax, Corporate Finance and Restructuring.

Alison Cooper – Business Advisory Director – Alison joined AAB in 2021 based in the Edinburgh office and has more than 16 years of experience in her field. Alison is in the Business Advisory team and specialises in supporting owner-managed businesses, family businesses and scale up companies.

Duncan Raggett – Restructuring Director – Duncan joined AAB in 2018 and has built up 19 years of experience in the industry. Duncan, an appointment taking insolvency practitioner based in the Edinburgh office, heads up the Scottish Restructuring team and specialises in advising distressed businesses across all industries.

David Polsky – Corporate Finance Director – This year, David relocated from Canada to join the AAB Edinburgh office. David has more than 8 years of experience specialising in mergers and acquisitions, and guiding clients though transactions. David will play a key role in the mergers and acquisitions of the AAB Group, as well as supporting clients.

Robert Barrie – Corporate Tax Director – Robert joined AAB this year having worked for other Scottish firms over the last 16 years. Robert works across a range of sectors with clients in the Food & Drink, Construction & Property, Industrial, and Technology sectors. Robert is based in the Glasgow office and specialises in identifying tax opportunities for clients to help solve any problems that may arise.

Lyn Calder, Managing Partner – Edinburgh & Head of Deals Central Scotland commented: “Our exciting growth phase continues across the UK and Ireland and I’m delighted to announce these key promotions as well as welcoming new talent to the Group across our wide range of services. The combined experience and expertise of Alison, Duncan, Robert and David in our Central Scotland team will allow us to continue to provide our clients with an unparalleled level of service.”

The AAB Group Central Scotland team now has more than 150 people working from offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow.