June 2008

ACUMEN TEAM HEADS TO HOUSTON TO CONSOLIDATE SUCCESS

Following the success of Aberdeen-based Acumen Group's initial visit to OTC at Houston last year, a senior management team will be making the trip to Texas in 2008.

This is the second year in succession that Acumen Group director Mervyn Stanley and Steve Mitchell, head of Corporate and Commercial Services at Acumen Accountants and Advisory Limited have attended OTC. The firm's corporate services fee income has tripled in the last year and Acumen attributes much of this to contacts made whilst attending OTC for the first time in 2007.

The relationships developed in Houston last year have proved an invaluable way into the lucrative oil and gas mergers and acquisitions market and the team will be looking to both cement those relationships and make further contacts to promote the Acumen brand.

The pair will be joined by Alasdair McGill, managing director of sister company Freelance World, the Aberdeen-based business advisory specialists. Alasdair McGill will attend for the first time this year. Since taking over the helm in October, he has brought in a new management team and has overseen a number of operational and legislative changes.

With the business now settling down after these changes, Alasdair sees OTC as an important part of his business development strategy.

Alasdair McGill added: "Freelance World has grown its customer base to almost 2,000 entirely by word of mouth and referral. As we look to grow the business in the wake of the recent MSC (Managed Service Companies) legislation, OTC will give us the opportunity to raise our profile in both the Aberdeen and Houston markets.

"Also, with almost 10% of our customers working internationally it is important we look to build relationships in key strategic regions and Houston certainly fits the bill. We will also be looking at Dubai as a strategic location later in the year."

Freelance World has recently appointed business development managers in Edinburgh and Manchester as part of a strategic expansion in the UK. The company employs 86 people, with the majority based at the firm's head office in Riverside Drive, Aberdeen.

Acumen Group director Mervyn Stanley said: "Our group business is driving Acumen towards becoming an international brand and Houston plays an important part in this."

He added: "Freelance World sees huge opportunities globally and we intend to build an international network to facilitate this. International tax is becoming increasingly specialised and whilst in Houston we will be meeting with a Global Tax Network to develop relationships in new geographical areas".

Acumen Group recently announced increasing staff levels from 90 to almost 180 in the past year and to accommodate this growth it plans take another 3,000 sq ft of space at its Riverside Drive base.