Edinburgh based accountancy firm Chiene + Tait has extended its presence in the Scottish Highlands with the opening of an Inverness office to support its client base of SMEs and individuals while it has outsourced its internal audit business
The practice will be headed by Jackie Fraser, director of private client and business tax, who joins the firm after a decade-long spell in a senior role at a Big Four accounting firm in Inverness. A recruitment drive will see another director-level appointment early in the new year. The full-service office will be supported by the wider firm, including the wider private client team and entrepreneurial tax team.
The Inverness office marks a new phase in for the firm and will allow it to grow its existing client base focusing on specialist areas including property, agriculture, landed estates, technology, life sciences, food and drink, professional practices and tourism. The Accountancy Top 75 Firms survey 2015 reported annual fee income of £6m.
Fraser said: ‘Establishing a base in Inverness is an exciting development both for me and the firm. Along with the firm’s wealth of experience in helping businesses, organisations and individuals within many of the key sectors which dominate the local economy, we will also benefit clients through our strong links within the Highlands community.’
Chiene + Tait managing partner, Carol Flockhart, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Jackie to the team as we embark on this latest phase of expansion. We see great potential for growth in the Highlands, which we are ideally placed to support through our expertise in many of the key sectors which drive its economy. The new Inverness office will give us a stronger presence in the local market.’
Audit offload
Earlier this month, Chiene + Tait signed a strategic alliance with TIAA, a specialist provider of internal audit, counter fraud and business assurance services, which will see existing audit business and all internal audit staff, clients and expertise, transferred to the internal audit service provider.
This means that the internal audit function will be handled by TIAA as part of the alliance which will be responsible for the delivery of internal audit to the combined internal audit clients.
TIAA’s services in Scotland will be led by Gill Callaghan, formerly of Chiene + Tait, who is now director of audit.
The operation was set up in 1995 and has 200 staff across the UK, specialising in various sectors, operating nationwide operator with a £10.5m annual turnover.