Accountancy group Dains has folded its Scottish operations into a single brand, bringing three established firms together under one name as it builds out its presence north of the border. The move unites William Duncan, Condies and Consilium, all of which joined the Birmingham based group in October 2022. The three practices will now trade under the Dains identity rather than under their individual names, consolidating separate labels that had operated across the group’s Scottish offices.
Company leaders framed the rebrand as a natural progression rather than a fresh start. Graeme Bryson, regional management partner for Scotland, said, “We don’t see a new firm. We see an evolution of our original firms.” The message to staff and clients centered on continuity, with local teams and the advisers people deal with staying in place under the wider group structure.
The Scottish arm has emerged as a standout performer within the business. Richard McNeilly, group chief executive, said, “Our fastest growing business across the whole group is right here in Glasgow,” singling out the city as a driver of the firm’s expansion. When Dains first partnered with William Duncan, the group was working toward a revenue target of £20 million.
Under the unified brand, Dains said staff would gain access to a broader pool of resources, specialist services and more structured routes for career development. For employees at the legacy firms, the group said the shift opens up specialist teams and support that a larger network can provide. At the same time, the firm stressed that local management would keep its autonomy, aiming to pair the reach of a larger organization with the close client relationships built up by the original practices.
For clients, the practical effect is dealing with one named firm rather than three separate brands, while the offices and advisers they have worked with remain unchanged. Dains presented the launch as a way to combine the strength of a national group with the local footing of the firms it absorbed. It is a balance the company will now look to prove as its Scottish business continues to grow from a base centered on Glasgow.
