AMS Accountants Group has strengthened its Aberdeen leadership team with the appointment of Stephen McIlwaine as Audit Partner, supporting its ambition to build a £5million regional audit business within the next three years and create around 25 jobs across the region.
Stephen joins from Johnston Carmichael, where he spent more than 13 years advising energy, manufacturing and construction clients and led the firm’s Aberdeen Financial Reporting practice. He will lead AMS’s north-east audit offering, supporting Infinity Partnership clients and the wider AMS client base.
The appointment follows AMS’s acquisition of Infinity Partnership in May which provided a strong and important platform for AMS to accelerate the delivery of its £20 million Scottish growth plan, which includes creating up to 200 jobs across Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Backed by a wider group with annual revenue of £40 million, AMS says the investment reflects its long-term commitment to building scale, capability and senior advisory depth in Scotland.
Left to right: Steven Fraser, Stephen McIlwaine and Simon Cowie.
Demand is being driven by significant change across Aberdeen’s economy, particularly in energy, as businesses restructure, diversify and face increasingly complex reporting and compliance requirements.
Steven Fraser, AMS Regional Managing Partner, said: "Stephen is well established in Aberdeen’s business community and the trusted, senior-led approach we want AMS to be known for in Scotland. His appointment strengthens our audit capability and gives clients direct access to experienced local leadership."
Stephen McIlwaine said: "Aberdeen businesses are navigating significant change, particularly across energy, manufacturing and construction. AMS has the ambition, backing and client base to build a strong audit team here, and I’m excited to help lead that growth."
Simon Cowie, founder of Infinity Partnership and now Aberdeen Managing Director, said: "Stephen’s appointment is a clear signal of the investment AMS is making in Aberdeen. His experience and local reputation add real strength to our audit proposition and confidence for clients as we scale."