Azets
Who are Azets?
Azets is an international accounting, tax, audit, advisory, and business services group, established in its current form in 2016.
It operates with a UK division, as well as offering services in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Romania, Estonia, and Lithuania.
Containing multiple brands in its international network, the group has UK roots stretching back to 1971, achieving organic growth and acquiring over 50 firms when trading as Baldwins. While the network’s Nordic history commenced in 1996 as Visma, through the merger of MultiSoft, SpecTec, and Dovre Information Systems.
However, it was via the 2016 joining of Blick Rothenberg and Cogital Group (now Azets), alongside a demerger from Visma, that Azets’ took shape in its current system.
The network has since added numerous firms such as Campbell Dallas in 2017 and Wilkins Kennedy in 2018 to its portfolio, with the existing brands then uniting under the Azets brand in 2020.
With “160 offices across the UK and Europe, over 6,500 employees, and 600 partners”, Azets is led by Dawn Marriott, CEO at the group.
As for its UK operations, David Owens acts as CEO of South West England and Wales, William Payne is CEO of South East England, Paul Clifford works as CEO for the Midlands and North Wales, and Peter Gallanagh as regional CEO for Scotland and the North.
What do they do?
Azets told Accountancy Today that it is “the UK’s largest regional accountancy and business advisor to SMEs and is a top 10 UK accountancy business”.
Working with roughly 120,000 clients across Europe, it supports clients across a “full range of business sectors and include SMEs, large scale businesses, public sector organisations and private clients.”
Backed by UK-based private equity investor Hg Capital, Azets provides expertise and technical advice, but claims it is “driven by a deep human connection between” its people and clients.
Caroline Hutchins, CPO at Azets, says: “Our people and our values sit at the heart of every decision we take. We strive to create an environment where people are encouraged to be themselves.
“Working towards a common purpose and supporting each other, to deliver a level of service built on achieving together. Recognising that as the needs of our clients and customers change, we’ll work tirelessly to evolve and change too.”
Recent financials
Azets’ most recent UK financials can be accessed through its previous trading name Baldwins Holdings.
Following an acquisition spree, the group exponentially increased its turnover from £4.14m in FY18, to £67.3m for the 12 months ended 30 June 2019.
Despite this upsurge in turnover, the group’s total comprehensive income for the period represented a £10.2m loss. As for Azets’ global operation, it claims to operate over an annual turnover of £505m.
In the news
Since rebranding from Cogital Group to Azets, the group has made a number of acquisitions in the UK and across Europe.
Roffe Swayne’s takeover in February 2021 added an estimated 85 staff members to the Azets network, extending the group’s South East of England operation.
Moreover, Azets has organically grown with consistent promotions and appointments throughout 2021 thus far. The group recently claimed that it was creating 250 Scottish jobs in a bid to increase growth in the region by 50% before 2026.