These are interesting times for Saffery Champness. The international network of Smith & Williamson, Nexia, has merged with Saffery's global network, SC International, to create an international alliance with a combined turnover of upwards of £1bn.

The network, which will be known as Nexia International, will be the ninth largest global provider of audit and accounting services in the world once the deal completes in December 2007.

The merger of the networks will not, however, see the two UK firms pursue a tie-up.

So, for now at least, the 57-partner firm is planning its future alone. And with fee growth of 13% in the year to March 2007, the firm (placed 16th in the Accoutnancy Age Top 50 with revenues of £44.7m) appears to have little to worry about.