RSM acquires Swindon accountancy firm and appoints partner

RSM has acquired Swindon-based accountants Banks BHG in a deal to expand it’s south west market presence.

As part of the agreement, Neil Elsden will become a partner with RSM, Bernard Harrington will stay on as a consultant and all staff will be transferred.

David Gwilliam, RSM’s chief operating officer, said: ‘Banks BHG is highly-regarded in the local market and the merger with our existing Swindon team gives RSM a fantastic opportunity to serve more clients along the M4 corridor and across the south west.’

Neil Elsden, director at Banks BHG, added: ‘We are very excited to be joining RSM. Combining the complementary skill sets from both firms will give additional breadth and depth to our overall service offering for the local market. RSM’s size and scale will also enable us to better support our clients to achieve their local, national and international ambitions.’

Banks BHG is a long-established firm of chartered accountants, auditors and tax advisers, and it currently has a turnover of around £1.5m. The firm has provided specialist accountancy and taxation services to small and medium-sized businesses, as well as private wealth clients.

RSM is the UK’s seventh largest firm of audit, tax and consulting services with revenues approaching £300m a year. The firm has 3,400 partners and staff operating in 35 UK locations. It is ranked 7th in the 2016 Top 50+50 Survey supported by Sage.

In the summer it hired 350 trainees, swelling its ranks by 10%.