M40 corridor: Accountants Whitley Stimpson and Baxter Payne & Haigh merge

Two top accountancy practices have merged to create one of the biggest independent accountancy firms spanning the Oxfordshire-Buckinghamshire M40 corridor.Banbury-based Whitley Stimpson LLP and the Bicester-based Baxter Payne & Haigh, have merged. The Whitley Stimpson Banbury and High Wycombe offices will retain their existing name but under a new limited company structure and the Bicester office will be known as BPH Whitley Stimpson.

Malcolm Higgs, director at Whitley Stimpson, said: “This is a very exciting time and opens up a new world of opportunities for our clients and ourselves.

“The reputation for excellence already commanded by Baxter Payne & Haigh combined with complementary skills and experience in specialist sectors will significantly strengthen our business offering, which already provides a wealth of benefits to existing clients.

“The merger is a meeting of minds in both business and cultural terms with the crossover in practice areas making Baxter Payne & Haigh the perfect fit. I am confident that by coming together we will be creating a firm with a wider portfolio of services.

“We are now one of the biggest firms on the M40 stretch providing a serious, heavyweight alternative to businesses and high-net-worth individuals based in London.”

Stephen Payne, director at BPH Whitley Stimpson, said: “Whitley Stimpson has a rich heritage and shares our approach to business. We have always ensured the firm’s growth is built on integrity, objectivity and technical excellence with an emphasis on providing strategic advice that will benefit our clients’ bottom line.”

Whitley Stimpson has provided financial advice to businesses and individuals for more than 80 years and has seen many existing clients from early days as start-ups through to achieving multi-million pound success.

Whitley Stimpson first extended its services into Buckinghamshire in 2010 following a merger with Hale Partnership based in High Wycombe. The latest expansion is supported by a rebrand to harness together shared core values, expertise in niche areas and complementary client profiles.

This new merger with Baxter Payne & Haigh enhances business growth, bolsters a strong team of specialists and extends the firm’s reach into Oxford and along the M40 corridor. In addition to traditional accountancy services the new practice specialises in agriculture, medicine and academy schools.