A long-standing Perth accountancy firm has been taken over by fast-growing rival Campbell Dallas.
Bell & Company, of St John Street, has been operating in the city since the close of the Second World War.
It has now been acquired by Campbell Dallas for an undisclosed sum and is being merged into the larger group’s operations.
The move – which will see the historic Bell & Company name phased out – involves the transfer of 20 staff and one partner to Campbell Dallas.
More than £1 million of fee income from Bell & Company’s roster of business and private clients will also transfer over.
Campbell Dallas said the merger increased its staffing in its newly enlarged £1m Perth office to five partners and 56 staff.
The number includes a total of nine trainees.
Andy Ritchie, head of Campbell Dallas’ Perth office, said the acquisition was a natural fit for both firms.
“Bell & Company is a highly respected local firm and we are delighted to welcome the business to Campbell Dallas,” he said.
“Our existing Perth office is well-established, but this acquisition provides us with the scale to expand the enlarged business and we will be recruiting further over the coming months.”
Charlie Carnegie, Bell & Company’s managing partner, said it was an exciting moment for a firm he has been associated with since 1974.
“Joining Campbell Dallas presents an exciting opportunity for our clients and staff as we can now offer a full range of advisory services together with specialist technical knowledge in areas such as tax, VAT, corporate finance and re-structuring,” Mr Carnegie said.
“It will be ‘business as usual’ for our clients, many of whom have been with Bell & Company for several decades, but they will now have the resources of a much larger practice at their disposal.”
Chris Horne, managing partner at Campbell Dallas, said “This is a solid step forward for the firm in achieving its planned growth target.
“Perthshire and Tayside has a wide variety of high-quality businesses that we think would benefit from our entrepreneurial approach to client service.”
The merger comes as rival Johnston Carmichael has moved to expand the leadership team at its Perth office.
Ryan Diplexcito, who is part of the accountant’s business advisory unit, has been made up to partner.
Euan McLeod, managing partner of Johnston Carmichael in Perth, said: “I am confident that Ryan will play a major part in the success of our business as we continue to expand our range of services to meet the needs of our clients.”
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