Menzies merges with Butler & Co

Menzies has announced a merger with London-based firm Butler and Co as part of its ongoing growth strategy and plans to expand in the capital. Butler and Co specialises in audit and serving international clients, and its dedicated team of 12 will be joining forces with Menzies’ existing 150-person London office. The firm said Menzies’ membership of the global HLB network also means clients will benefit from turnkey services in 150 countries. The move comes amid a series of strategic mergers for Menzies over the last 25 years, the latest of which was July 2023 to give a new office in Hertfordshire. Menzies started its ‘5 year growth plan’ in June 2020 with turnover of £43m and is on track to reach its target of £75m by June 2025. The firm said the merger will further expand its capacity to meet clients’ needs in London and the South East, where demand for services has grown steadily. Both firms share a similar client base with multi-disciplinary expertise, backed by people-centric, client-led cultures. Simon Massey, managing partner at Menzies, said: “This merger with Butler and Co represents another important step in the Menzies story, strengthening our growing presence in the capital. We saw several important synergies including culture, clients, and ways of working that made it an excellent fit for us. “Audit is one of Menzies’ key strengths and best-performing service lines; the addition of more people to our specialist audit team will further strengthen our proposition. Throughout Menzies’ journey, we have always sought to grow without diluting either profitability or the employee experience; those joining Menzies will be much-valued new colleagues and we are delighted to welcome them to the firm.” Sanjeev Phadke, partner at Butler and Co, added: “A longstanding commitment to excellence in both our work and client service has defined our firm for many years. Following the exploration of several options for our business, including discussions with private equity firms, it became clear that Menzies’ story represented the best fit for our team. “This merger will ensure that our clients continue to see this excellence in every interaction, with the addition of Menzies’ strong Audit team, its Brighter Thinking ethos, and international partner network.”