THE SUCCESS of Campbell Dallas’ pioneering apprentice and graduate trainee development programme has resulted in four long-serving staff being promoted to the partnership in the New Year. The promotions are effective 1st January 2020, and the new partner appointments are the first following a merger of the businesses in May 2019.
All four new partners – Kirsty Murray, James McBride, Jennifer Alexander and Alan Brown – joined as graduate trainees and have been with the business for an average of 16 years.
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After joining as a trainee in 2004, Kirsty Murray has been appointed as a new Tax partner based in Edinburgh. She has extensive knowledge of corporate and business tax and is acknowledged as a specialist in the technology, R&D and performing arts sectors. The appointment reflects her high standing with clients and her key role in driving growth across the tax practice.
James McBride, who joined the business as a trainee in 2003, has been appointed as a new Audit partner based in the Glasgow city centre office. He specialises in providing external audit and business advisory services to a wide range of clients in the property, construction, housing association, charity and education sectors.
Jennifer Alexander has been appointed as an Audit partner after joining the business in 2001 as a CA trainee. Also based in Glasgow, she has developed an expertise in the charity and housing association sectors and provides business advice to food and drink, construction and property businesses.
After initially joining Campbell Dallas in 2003 as a CA trainee, Alan Brown has been promoted to Audit partner. He qualified in 2006 and has been progressively promoted during his 16 years with the firm, becoming a director in 2013. He has played a key role running the Glasgow and Scotland-wide audit team and is highly regarded for his extensive technical knowledge, acting for many of the firm’s largest clients in the food and drink and manufacturing sectors.
Commenting on the new partner appointments, managing partner for Scotland, Chris Horne said: “We would like to congratulate the new partners on their promotions and wish them every success as they continue to develop their careers within the business It is particularly rewarding to see young talent progress all the way to the partnership and in the last two years we have promoted 9 of our people, who started out their CA careers with us to the top level in the business.
Chris Horne added: “We are focused on developing our own people and on creating outstanding career opportunities for our people looking to develop a career in the accountancy profession. Since 2015 we have recruited 235 apprentices, graduate trainees and school leavers into this successful trainee development programme.”
Scott Moncrieff joined Campbell Dallas in May 2019, creating one of Scotland’s largest business advisory firms with a combined fee income of around £40m and employing over 550 staff.