Leading accountancy firm Azets announces its acquisition of Moore UK (South)’s R&I team

Azets, a top ten UK accounting, tax and business advisory firm and the largest regional professional services firm for SMEs across Europe, has announced its acquisition of Moore UK (South)’s R&I team, headed up by Duncan Swift and Chris Tate. The team consists of licenced insolvency practitioners and restructuring specialists covering Southern England from Azets’ Southampton office as well as its offices in Bournemouth, Fareham, Havant, Portsmouth, Romsey and Winchester. The acquisition includes the team’s current clients and will enhance Azets’ restructuring and insolvency capabilities.

This latest strategic acquisition now creates a significant one-stop-shop presence serving businesses and individuals across the Solent region. The team specialises in helping companies experiencing financial distress or facing closure with restructuring and rescue options. It offers specialist advisory services to assist organisations in making better long-term and effective, strategic business decisions. These services include debt restructuring, refinancing and forensic investigation.

Clients encompass a variety of sectors, from food and agriculture, hotels, healthcare, property and construction, to manufacturing and engineering and professional services and will complement Azets’ already well-established offices in the region.

Colin Haig, head of restructuring and insolvency at Azets said: “We are thrilled to welcome Duncan, Chris and their team to Azets. The team’s excellent local reputation and expertise combined with Azets’ local and international presence demonstrates our commitment to the Solent region.

“This latest move is a good example of how our M&A strategy underpins our overall organic growth plan at Azets and we hope to announce more strategic acquisitions this year as we continue to build our brand in the UK.”

Swift, now a partner at Azets, is a former president of the prestigious Association of Business Recovery Professionals (R3), where, coincidentally, Haig at Azets is the current president. Swift is a well-known spokesperson and advisor in the agricultural, food manufacturing and food processing sectors and former divisional chief operating officer in accountancy firm Grant Thornton.

Swift brings extensive experience in business restructuring, turnaround and rescue, operating at board level with directors, funders and other stakeholders, with a track record of success in numerous high-profile contentious insolvency cases. He has nationally-recognised industry expertise in the food production (agriculture) and food processing sector, which includes authoring the ‘Evolving Risks in Global Food Supply’ report for Lloyd’s of London in 2019.

Swift commented: “This is an exciting step in the development of our business. I, Chris and the entire team are extremely proud of our track record and reputation in the Solent area, where for many years we have provided our clients with a complete R&I service. We often work alongside clients’ lawyers and other professionals as required to implement effective financial relief solutions. We advise on all stages and aspects of corporate financial distress for business owners and directors. We believe strongly, as does Azets, in providing a personal approach to supporting the needs of our clients in the region, while being part of an international group.”