Sukhbinder Heer, a former managing partner of RSM Robson Rhodes, has hinted that he left the firm in May because of a lack of entrepreneurial spirit among the partnership.

A partner at Robson Rhodes for 23 years, Heer led the firm for the final two years of his tenure. During his time at the helm, he doubled revenues to £85m, but the firm’s inability to meet his bold target of becoming a £200m business by 2007 saw him stand down.

Heer has since made a surprise move to rapidly growing practice MGI Wenham Major. He said he had decided to join the small firm because of the opportunity to pursue new ideas and grow swiftly.

‘Having worked for a large firm, I know how difficult it can be to move quickly. At a small firm with an entrepreneurial spirit you can implement new ideas and grow quickly. This was something that I tried to develop at Robson Rhodes, but there were always a number of people that had to be moved along,’ Heer told Accountancy Age.

The appointment of Heer is a major coup for MGI. The firm grew by a remarkable 248% over the past year, but with revenues of just £9.9m it is unusual for it to have attracted an accountant of Heer’s experience and profile.

The former RSM Robson Rhodes head will lead MGI Wenham Major’s move into Dubai. The firm will be only the second accounting group, after PricewaterhouseCoopers, to set up an office in Dubai’s international finance centre.

Heer said the Dubai business would focus on work in tax, consulting and corporate finance. The firm will target high net worth individuals and businesses in Pakistan and India that wish to list on the Dubai capital markets.

The new MGI Wenham Major arm opens for business in December and is expected to employ up to 15 staff and generate revenues of £1m within a year.