Accountants Baker Tilly to change branding to RSM

BAKER Tilly, one of the UK’s biggest accountancy practices, is to change its name as part of a major image overhaul aimed at extending its global reach.

The accountancy firm will change its name. Picture: Bill Henry

The firm, which has 3,400 partners and staff operating from 32 locations around the UK, including five in Scotland, will adopt RSM as a common brand name from October.

RSM International is one of the world’s largest providers of tax services, encompassing more than 100 member firms employing some 37,500 people. Baker Tilly joined the RSM network in 2014 following the acquisition of Tenon the year before and there had been speculation surrounding the future of the Baker Tilly brand.

Robert Ross, Baker Tilly’s regional managing partner for Scotland, where the firm has operations in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Grangemouth and Lerwick, said: “The move will considerably strengthen our position in Scotland as a leading provider of global audit, tax and consulting services focused on the middle market.

“The middle market is a critical part of the UK and global economy generating more than one-third of private-sector UK GDP and employing nearly 40 per cent of the UK private-sector workforce.

“Although our name is changing, we will stay true to our roots and continue to maintain the core essence and legacy of the Baker Tilly brand.

“Adopting RSM as our name will simply accelerate our path to a recognised, unified, global brand and strategy.”

McGladrey, the RSM member firm in the US, is undertaking a similar rebranding. The changes will be effective on 26 October. All member firms will remain independent legal entities within the RSM international network but will carry the RSM brand name and logo.