Accountancy and advisory firm AAB Group has made strategic changes to the leadership team after the April acquisition of French Duncan
Graeme Finnie, formerly managing partner of French Duncan, which was acquired by AAB in April 2023, has taken on a new role as AAB’s head of business services group. The group comprises specialist client services including payroll and employment taxes, virtual finance function, hotel accounting, people and consulting.
In his new role, Finnie will work with teams across AAB’s 12 offices in the UK and Ireland to provide strategic support and drive further growth.
Stephen Hughes, previously chair of French Duncan, has been named as managing partner for the firm’s Glasgow and Stirling offices. Initially joining as a trainee, Huges rose through the ranks at French Duncan to become chair of the business.
Hughes will be responsible for driving growth in the Glasgow and Stirling offices, and working closely with the other AAB regions to collaborate and provide integrated support to AAB clients. He takes over the Glasgow role from Finnie.
The firm made a number of significant mergers and acquisitions in the last 18 months and increased fee income to £80m. This followed private equity investment in 2021 from August Equity to fast-track ambitious growth plans.
Derek Mitchell (pictured centre), chief operating officer at AAB Group said: ‘We are on an exciting growth journey, and these leadership changes in central Scotland enable our teams to provide an enhanced service to our clients in specialist areas of the business where we are experiencing exceptional growth.
‘I have no doubt that Graeme’s extensive experience in leading diversification into services such as payroll, HR, health & safety and hotel accounting, combined with his passion for implementing intelligent automation solutions will elevate the efficiency of AAB Group even further.
‘Since joining the team earlier this year, Stephen has shown himself to be an admirable leader in our business. I am very much looking forward to working closely with both to deliver on our future growth plans.’
AAB now employs more than 350 people in central Scotland. Overall, the group has 79 partners and more than 1,000 staff across 12 office locations.
Pictured (L-R): Graeme Finnie, Derek Mitchell and Stephen Hughes