Who are Johnston Carmichael? Independent Scottish accountancy firm who have resigned as SNP auditors

'It has been an extraordinary year,' said CEO Andrew Walker. Picture: Nick Mailer.

The Moray-founded firm, which has a string of offices across the country including in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow, has more than 800 staff and partners. It is a member of international accounting, audit and business advisory network Moore Global, which has a community of more than 30,000 people in 110 countries.

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Last March, the firm, which competes with the Big Four auditing firms of Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young and KPMG, announced an increase in annual income despite the challenges of the pandemic. Turnover rose 6.2 per cent year-on-year to £54.6 million for the 12 months to May 31, 2021, after it bolstered its operations and saw demand for its services increase. According to its annual results, a range of measures were taken to protect the firm from the economic uncertainties posed by the pandemic.

Chief executive Andrew Walker said: “I am extremely proud of the way our business has gone above and beyond to deliver high quality work, adding value for our clients as they navigate the economic recovery. We are a people business. Having the right people and skills is crucial to our future success, but importantly it also creates opportunity.”

Last May, Johnston Carmichael named its new chairman and vice chair – with previous chair Sandy Manson retiring in what was deemed the end of an era. Mark Houston became chair with Lynne Walker stepping into the vice chair shoes.