Dundee legal firm adds 12 staff after acquiring Fife rival

The deal takes the Dundee firm's assets under management to more than £650 million

By Gavin Harper

April 26 2023, 11:53am

Steve Herkes, managing director of Gilson Gray Financial Management, RS Robertsons managing director Gordon Laing and head of Gilson Gray's Dundee office, Lindsay Darroch. Image: Gilson Gray.

Dundee-based Gilson Gray has added more than 12 staff through the acquisition of one of Fife’s largest financial planning firms.

Cupar-based RS Robertson Financial Planning has been bought by Gilson Gray Financial Management (GGFM), the financial services arm of legal firm.

RS Robertson has grown to become one of the most successful St. James’s Place partner practices in Scotland.

It provides individual clients and small businesses with a full spectrum of financial services. The firm can also advise on complex pension plans.

Managing director Gordon Laing and a team of 12 staff will join Gilson Gray’s Dundee office.

The firm recently expanded into new city centre premises at West Marketgait.

Lindsay Darroch, partner and head of Gilson Gray?s Dundee office in the new premises. Image: Gilson Gray.

The move will see RS Robertson Financial Planning’s clients gain access to Gilson Gray’s wider legal and property offerings.

The latest acquisition takes GGFM’s total assets under management to more than £650 million. It forms part of a continued expansion programme.

Gilson Gray recently added Edinburgh-based Sarah Hughes Wealth Management.

Decades of valuable experience

Steve Herkes, managing director of GGFM, said: “Gordon has decades of valuable experience and a well-established reputation for trusted financial advice in the region.

“We know that GGFM will be a great fit for RS Robertson clients and team.

“The acquisition represents an opportunity for GGFM to expand and grow our presence in Fife, Dundee and Angus.

“It will also see Gordon join the fold to help develop the business further.

“Gordon and I have known one another for around 10 years and have worked together on a few projects already.

Gilson Gray recently moved in to the former Bank of Scotland building on West Marketgait. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson.

“This is an exciting time for both businesses, with two growing firms coming together to bolster our combined offering for clients.”

Mr Herkes said Gilson Gray has “gone from strength to strength” since it moved to Dundee.

“This acquisition further adds to the range of financial, property and legal services we offer in the local market,” he added.

Joining Gilson Gray a ‘huge bonus’

Mr Laing, who took over as managing director in 2013, said joining Gilson Gray will be a huge bonus to RS Robertson’s staff.

He said it will also allow him to focus on training the the next generation of financial planners.

Mr Laing said: “In a world of growing financial complexity we see it as a huge bonus to be able to offer clients access to the expertise of Gilson Gray’s team.”