Thames Valley: Wilkins Kennedy merges with Bourne End firm

Top 20 accountancy firm Wilkins Kennedy will merge with M R Salvage, a Bourne End-based firm, increasing expected turnover to £55 million.

On completion of the transaction, due on June 1, M R Salvage will trade as Wilkins Kennedy, bringing the firm’s total number of offices to 18 in London and the South East. The combined firm will have more than 700 partners and staff.

Partner at Wilkins Kennedy’s Amersham office Tim Collerton will become branch managing partner at the office in Bourne End, taking over from the current managing partner John Taylor who will retire at the end of May.

Collerton said: "We are delighted to be joining forces with M R Salvage, a firm that is well established and very highly respected throughout the region. Our two firms share a similar approach to client services and place great value on knowing and supporting clients over the longer term. This merger provides us with a significant base in the heart of the county to support our growing client base. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues.”

Taylor commented: “Our ethos with regard to customer care is something we have worked hard to nurture over the years so we are pleased to be able to continue to offer the same standard of service to our clients. The merger with Wilkins Kennedy will also give us access to in-house specialist services such as corporate finance and insolvency which we have not previously been able to provide, and will help us to further grow the office’s client offering.”