Azets
Azets
Company typeprivate company limited by guarantee
IndustryProfessional services
FoundedSep 2016; 8 years ago (Sep 2016) in Jersey, Channel Islands
FounderJohn Connolly and HgCapital
HeadquartersJersey, Channel Islands
Area served
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Lithuania, Norway, Romania, Sweden, UK
Key people
Melanie Richards (Chair Azets Opco)
Chris Horne (CEO Azets Opco)
Services
  • Audit and Assurance
  • Advisory
  • Tax
  • Payroll
  • Accounting
  • Technology and Business Services
RevenueIncrease GB£505 million (2023)[1]
Number of employees
8,200 (2023)[1]
Websitewww.azets.com

Azets Opco Limited, commonly referred to as ’’Azets", is a Jersey incorporated international accounting, tax, audit, advisory and business services group.[2] The group was formed in 2016 through the merger of Visma BPO, Blick Rothenberg, and Baldwins. The group claims to be the largest provider of accountancy, payroll and tax services to SME customers in Northern Europe.[3]

The business was founded by John Connolly, former Global Chairman of Deloitte and for 12 years CEO of the UK firm, partnering with HgCapital.[4] The aim was to build a professional services network, initially by strategically purchasing smaller firms.[5] Accountancy Age reported that the group and its private equity backers planned to challenge the dominance of the Big Four accounting firms.[6] The group was originally known as the Cogital Group before rebranding to Azets in 2020.[7]

At launch, the Azets Group had 3,200 employees based in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the UK, with a nearshore centre in Romania. Group revenue was circa £300 million.[8]

In June 2023 PAI Partners succeeded in its bid to acquire a co-controlling stake in the group alongside Hg.[9][10] A £1.5 billion bid fronted by John Connolly was rejected.[3]

Blick Rothenberg

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Blick Rothenberg is a tax, accounting, and advisory firm based in London, United Kingdom.[11] Founded in 1945, the firm has established itself as a provider of professional services, offering a broad range of expertise to businesses, individuals, and organisations.[12] The firm provides services including audit and assurance, tax planning and compliance, corporate finance, and business advisory.[13]

Blick Rothenberg was acquired by HgCapital, a private equity firm, in 2016, as part of a strategy to build a broader professional services group.[14] It was subsequently merged into the Azets group.[12]

Blick Rothenberg have worked with the Independent and the Guardian to prepare Budget calculator, helping UK taxpayers to understand the impact of budget changes.[15][16][17]

Campbell Dallas

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Campbell Dallas
Company typeAccountants & Business Advisors
IndustryProfessional services
Founded1999; 25 years ago (1999)
HeadquartersGlasgow, Scotland
Area served
United Kingdom
ServicesAccountants / Tax advice / Financial and business adviser, training provider, Corporate Finance
Number of employees
500+ (2017)[18]
ParentAzets
Websitewww.campbelldallas.co.uk

Campbell Dallas is a firm of accountants & business advisors in Scotland.

Campbell Dallas was formed in 1999 with the merger of Campbell & Co of Bearsden & Paisley and Dallas Nicoll & Co of Paisley. More acquisitions followed: in 2003, they acquired Reeves & Neylan Chartered Accountants of Perth, in 2005 they acquired MacMillan Chartered Accountants of Glasgow, in 2006 MacPherson & Company of Aberdeen[19] and Gordon Ferguson & Company of Stirling, and in 2016 W White & Co of Kilmarnock and Bell & Company of Perth.[20] In 2017 they became part of Cogital and in 2020 the business rebranded to Azets.

The firm had over 500 staff including 50 partners, operating from 7 locations across Scotland; Aberdeen, Ayr, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Perth, and Stirling. The business now operates under the Azets brand in Scotland.

Awards

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Campbell Dallas is Scotland's Accountancy Firm of the Year 2017, 2016 and 2015[21] and award holders of the Training Team of the Year. They are currently ranked as one of the Top Five Scottish Accountancy firms[22] and scooped up Corporate Finance Team of the Year and Restructuring Team of the Year at the Scottish Accountancy and Finance Awards, 2016. They were a finalist in the mid-tier category at the British Accountancy Awards 2017, winners of Best Tax Practice in a Devolved Administration at the Tolley's Taxation Awards 2017[23] and Aileen Scott received a Scottish Women's Award for Services to Accountancy and Finance 2017.[24]

Sustainability

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In December 2015 the roof of their Glasgow office was kitted out with 300 solar panels to harness clean and renewable energy to help power the office. In April 2017 they acquired two electric cars [25] which staff can use for business travel. The solar panels in one year produced enough green energy to drive a company BMW i3 nearly ten times around the world – or 250,000 miles.[26] The investment in electric vehicles and solar panels is a core part of the firm's desire to place sustainability at the heart of its corporate culture.

Investing in people

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Campbell Dallas is an ICAS approved training provider, an ACCA Platinum Level Accredited Training Firm and an AAT Accredited Employer. They hold the Investors in Young People Gold Accreditation,[27] which recognises the importance the firm places on the recruitment, retention and development of young people.

Azets

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In 2017, the firm became part of the international group Azets.[28] and in September 2020 the business rebranded to Azets across the UK,[29] Europe and Nordics.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Revenue". Azets. 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  2. ^ "About us and the companies in the Azets Group". www.azets.com. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  3. ^ a b "Partners Group among suitors for £1.5bn accountancy firm Azets". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  4. ^ "CogitalGroup". Golden. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  5. ^ "Launch of CogitalGroup, a new advisory services business | Hg". hgcapital.com. 2016-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  6. ^ "Former Deloitte boss John Connolly plots 'rival' to Big Four". Accountancy Age. 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  7. ^ "Cogital Group to re-brand as Azets". Accountancy Daily. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  8. ^ "CogitalGroup which is backed by HgCapital announces an investment in Baldwins and the launch of the new Group | Hg". hgcapital.com. 2016-10-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  9. ^ "Azets Group secures investment from PAI Partners to join Hg and support next phase of growth | Hg". hgcapital.com. 2023-06-19. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  10. ^ "Azets Group secures investment from PAI to join Hg". markets.ft.com/. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  11. ^ "Blick Rothenberg - About Us". blickrothenberg.com. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  12. ^ a b "Blick Rothenberg - History and Values". blickrothenberg.com. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  13. ^ "Blick Rothenberg - Services". blickrothenberg.com. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12./
  14. ^ "HG Capital acquires Blick Rothenberg". accountancyage.com/. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
  15. ^ "Tax calculator: See how Jeremy Hunt's spring Budget will affect you". www.independent.co.uk. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12./
  16. ^ "Tax projection calculator: See how Jeremy Hunt's autumn statement will affect you". www.independent.co.uk. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12./
  17. ^ "Budget 2024 calculator: find out if you are better or worse off". www.theguardian.com. 2024-08-12. Retrieved 2024-08-12./
  18. ^ "Campbell Dallas unveils £1m Perth office move as profits at accountant rise". HeraldScotland. March 2017.
  19. ^ "Our story - Campbell Dallas". Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
  20. ^ "Accountancy firm in expansion move". BBC News. 4 October 2016.
  21. ^ "2016 Winners - Scottish Accountancy & Finance Awards 2018". www.scottishaccountancyawards.com.
  22. ^ Kyle, McHatton. "The top 30 accountancy firms 2017". www.icas.com.
  23. ^ "Our awards - Campbell Dallas". Campbell Dallas. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  24. ^ "The winners of inaugural Scottish Women's Awards 2017 announced - SBNN". SBNN. 2017-09-03. Archived from the original on 2017-12-01. Retrieved 2017-11-20.
  25. ^ "Accountancy firm adds up benefits of going electric".
  26. ^ "New tax sparks firm's shift to electric cars". Daily Business. 2017-04-02.
  27. ^ "Campbell Dallas says yes to new apprentices".
  28. ^ "About Azets - International business services company".
  29. ^ "About Azets | the UKs Local Accountancy Firm | Azets UK".
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