THE LEGACY OF FINLAYSONS

Derek Grant

Derek Grant

THE LEGACY OF FINLAYSONS


“Motivation is the catalysing ingredient for every successful innovation.” At MMG Chartered Accountants, we’ve put Clayton Christensen’s expertise into practice and enhanced our specialist knowledge in the area of Perth and Crieff. What was the motivation behind our growth? Finlaysons Chartered Accountants.

Finlaysons Chartered Accountants is a relationship-based firm that, like us, tailors accountancy and advisory services to the individual needs of our clients. We know we are working towards a common vision, and that’s why we have taken the conscious decision to join forces.

To celebrate the acquisition, we’ve sat down with Jim McEwen, Partner at Finlaysons Chartered Accountants, who takes us on a journey of collaboration and triumph.

“Joining W A Finlayson & Co in 1983, I’ve been with the firm through its subsequent mergers with Duncan Brown & Co, Crosbie Rae and A B Pringle. As a Trainee Accountant, I undertook my ACCA qualification which taught me the ins and outs of accountancy practice.

“Following the retirement of the senior partners Alec Ritchie (W A Finlayson & Co) and Roger Duncan (Duncan Brown & Co) in the late 90s, the two firms teamed up at the start of the millennium to form Finlaysons Chartered Accountants. While the merger expanded our client base in the Perth and surrounding area, the acquisition of Crosbie Rae in 2007 added further to our existing client base in the market town of Crieff, Comrie and the surrounding area.

“At the time of the merger, I worked alongside three partners, Les Findlay, Alistair Brown and Sandra Paterson, who envisioned a friendly, local firm. We wanted something much more than a large, corporate practice. We worked day in and day out to establish an organisation that our clients could trust.

“As the partners headed towards retirement, and as part of our exit strategy, we were on the lookout for a similar practice with a similar core values and client focus. We sat down with a number of firms in Scotland to find a potential merger that would not only uphold our legacy but maintain the level of service and understanding our clients are accustomed to and provide security to our staff.

“When we spoke to Paul Crichton, Managing Partner at MMG Chartered Accountants, the glass slipper fit. Based in Dundee, MMG is just up the road from us with similar local offices throughout Angus and Tayside. Geography aside, MMG offers a client-centric service that aligns with our core values. We knew the acquisition would maintain the existing services for clients and provide training, technical support, and expertise to our existing staff. Our firm is ever-expanding and we can’t wait to see what’s on the horizon for MMG Chartered Accountants.”