Fast-growing chartered accountancy and business services group AAB has made another acquisition, this time swooping to buy customs consultancy Charlton House.
It is the latest in a string of expansionary deals for Aberdeen-headquartered AAB and allows it to provide customs duty services across its UK, Irish and wider international network. The acquisition value was undisclosed.
This acquisition strengthens our overall indirect tax proposition.”
Neil Dinnes, partner and head of corporate and international tax, AAB.
Charlton House, based in Horsham, West Sussex, works with a wide range of businesses on all aspects of the customs supply chain and has a particular focus on compliance services.
Alistair Duncan, Head of AAB’s indirect tax practice, said: “The last two years have demonstrated the growing need for customs duty advice.
“The addition of the Charlton House team will strengthen our existing team, bringing fresh skills and expert knowledge which will enhance our capabilities in the indirect tax space.”
‘Significant’ growth
Neil Dinnes, partner and head of corporate and international tax, AAB, added: “We have achieved significant growth in our VAT compliance and advisory business in recent years.
“This acquisition strengthens our overall indirect tax proposition by adding the ability to provide more specialist customs duty compliance and advisory services to our clients.”
Charlton House’s founders, Jon Hicks and Seanna Whitmore, are staying on at the English business, which is being rebranded as AAB with immediate effect.
Irish deal
AAB, formerly Anderson Anderson & Brown, crossed the Irish Sea with its previous acquisition.
The firm announced in May it had “merged” with FPM, based in Newry, Northern Ireland, but with operations on both sides of the Irish border. Financial terms for that deal were also undisclosed.
Last year AAB snapped up a majority stake in Edinburgh company Purpose HR and Glasgow-based accountancy firm Hardie Caldwell in a strategic expansion push into the central belt.
Hopefully you caught our announcement yesterday introducing our new brand.
The new AAB brand reflects our focus on helping clients manage the critical elements that make their businesses tick whilst also providing a brand structure fit for a growing, innovative group. (1)
— AAB LLP (@AAB_Accountants) May 31, 2022
Those two deals were followed by the acquisition of Leeds-based independent accountancy firm Sagars to further expand AAB’s UK regional presence.
Then, in October, it emerged London-based August Equity had taken a majority stake in AAB for an undisclosed sum.
AAB, based at Prime Four business park, in Kingswells, now boasts annual revenue of more than £50 million and a 550-plus workforce across more than 10 offices in the UK and Ireland.
The firm was founded in 1990 by retired senior partner Mike Brown and two former E&Y colleagues, Bobby Anderson and Sheena Anderson.
It describes itself these days as a “tech-enabled business critical services group across finance and HR”.
Conversation