The mid-tier firm has set up the dedicated team at a time when a tranche of private equity backed accountancy groups are rapidly expanding through acquisition and buy-and-build programmes such as Azets and Xeinadin, with a focus purely on SME clients.

The team will be jointly led by partners Tim Taylor and Gareth Hitchmough. They will work alongside senior colleagues Lynne Bicket, partner in Glasgow, Mike Delf, partner and lead in accounting services, in Liverpool and director Rob Thomson, supported by a large team across the firm's 22 UK offices and the service will be available out of all of them.