Azets strengthens Aberdeen team with four senior-level hires to meet local demand and support growth plans

The Aberdeen office of Azets has attracted four senior hires with the appointment of Graeme Cran, David Urquhart, Fraser Murray, and Greg Houston.

Azets is a top-ten UK Accountancy firm that focuses on delivering personalised service through a local office network and proprietary digital workplace technology.

The tax team at Azets Aberdeen has grown significantly over the last three years to 15 tax specialists with the appointment of Graeme, David, and Fraser.

Frazer Nicol, Head of Tax for Azets Aberdeen, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Graeme, David, and Fraser to the tax team at Azets to broaden our local service offering due to significant demand. We are committed to our vision to have local specialists who have first-hand experience of our clients' challenges, alongside our National Tax Practice to provide a holistic service offering.”

Graeme Cran joins as Associate Director from Johnston Carmichael to lead the Private Client service from the Aberdeen office and has a wealth of knowledge working with high-net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, and private clients in the North East of Scotland. He has specialised in providing proactive and holistic private client support over the last 19 years. Graeme said: “Joining the Azets Aberdeen team is a great opportunity to lead and develop the Private Client tax offering for Azets in the North East. It is an exciting time for the Aberdeen office and the wider company, and the Private Client Tax offering will continue to be a vital part of supporting our growth objectives. There is an excellent tax team in place and I am looking forward to working with them to support our clients.”

Azets has experienced a strong demand for Indirect Tax services locally and David Urquhart joins as Indirect Tax Senior manager. David has supported a broad range of clients both in the UK and internationally over his career in Indirect Tax. David said: "I am delighted to be joining a modern, forward-thinking firm. With the continued expansion of the Aberdeen office, I am looking forward to working with new colleagues and I’m sure my broad indirect tax experience will be valuable to our clients in the constantly changing tax environment."

Nicol added: “Our large corporate and international clients have faced a lot of uncertainty over the past few years and the political landscape continues to be uncertain. There is an increasing demand for large corporate and international tax services, especially in areas such as transfer pricing, tax controversy, research and development tax relief, and tax due diligence.”

Fraser Murray joins as Corporate Tax Senior Manager. He said: “I am looking forward to working with the team at Azets and getting to know the client base. I have followed the growth journey of Azets, and I am excited to be part of a team delivering high-quality commercial tax advice to clients”.

Greg Houston joins Azets as Director during a period of continued growth for the business in the North East and will play a leadership role driving the development and expansion of the Accounts & Business Advisory Services (ABAS) team. The ABAS team oversees the technology-led delivery of all compliance services such as year-end accounts, VAT returns, outsourcing, flexible resource solutions, and business advice.

Angus Cowie, head of ABAS at Azets said: “Greg joining Azets further strengthens our ability to provide sound, commercial business advice to our expanding client base. With over 12 years of experience focusing on SME owner managed businesses, Greg has a strong reputation locally for delivering a high-quality client service along with a pragmatic approach to helping solve the issues that face clients daily”.

Greg joins from Infinity Partnership and said “I am delighted to be joining Azets during this exciting period of growth. I look forward to working closely with the ABAS team and wider office to help drive the success of both the firm and our clients.”

David Booth, Regional Managing Partner for Azets Aberdeen said: “The four key strategic hires are central to our growth plans for this financial year and beyond. It is testament to how far we have come as an office that we can attract this calibre of professionals into the business. Our tax offering has gone from strength to strength under Frazer’s leadership and we are excited to see his department further expand with more quality advisors that will be of great benefit to our team and clients.

“Our ABAS offering has experienced a significantly busy period of late with the introduction of our flexible resourcing solutions and outsourced finance offerings. Greg is an extremely well connected and respected advisor locally who will help further shape and grow this department along with Angus Cowie.”

Azets has recently welcomed five graduates, seven placement students and three interns to the Aberdeen office, as part of the company’s aim to invest in the next generation of talented business advisors within the local area.