Changes at Bon Accord

BOSSES at accountants Bon Accord have moved to reassure clients and staff in Shetland that it is “business as usual” after the company sold its Aberdeen-based specialist oil and gas contractor division.

Pipeline Accounts, which supports around 1,000 oil and gas contractors with a range of accountancy, tax and wealth management services, has been taken over by the Knox Group.

Bon Accord managing director Allan Jamieson said the sale was only of Pipeline and would have no impact on Bon Accord’s clients or staff in Shetland.

“We have 14 staff based at our North Ness offices in Lerwick and 450 clients in the isles and there will be absolutely no change for them. It’s very much business as usual,” Jamieson said.

Fellow director Martin Watt has built Pipeline Accounts into a division of Bon Accord with almost 30 staff in Aberdeen.

He said: “Pipeline had reached the point where it needed some outside help to grow into a much larger firm.

“The Knox Group is a significant financial services business with 160 staff, headquarters in the Isle of Man and offices in London, Manchester and Aberdeen.

“I will still be involved in running the Pipeline Accounts business and I will continue to look after Bon Accord Accountancy’s portfolio of charity clients as well as a number of clients not associated with the Pipeline sale.”

Bon Accord Accountancy was formed in 1998 and has an annual turnover of £1.5 million.