AMS Accountants Group has strengthened its Payroll & Employment Tax offering with the appointment of payroll specialist Michael McAllister as partner and head of Payroll & Employment Tax (UK), as the firm continues to expand in Scotland from its Aberdeen headquarters.
Michael joins AMS from Johnston Carmichael, where he led its Payroll Services team, bringing with him more than a decade of senior payroll and employment tax experience across the profession. He has built his career working extensively across the north and north-east of Scotland, supporting clients across Aberdeen, Elgin and Inverness.
In his new role, Michael will lead AMS’s payroll and employment tax services nationally, while playing a key role in the firm’s continued investment in Scotland and its growing presence in Aberdeen as a centre for advisory-led professional services.
A full member of the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP), Michael has previously held senior roles at RSM and Mazars, and began his career at Scott-Moncrieff Chartered Accountants (now part of Azets). He is also a tutor and lecturer with The Payroll Centre, delivering specialist training across payroll, employment tax, HR and reward.
His appointment marks the launch of a new, standalone Payroll, Employment Tax and Global Mobility division within AMS Accountants Group. Previously delivered as part of the firm’s wider accounting services, payroll has been established as a dedicated division in response to growing client demand and increasing regulatory complexity.
AMS has also appointed Raymond Ford as senior manager, Payroll & Employment Taxes. Ford also joins from Johnston Carmichael and brings additional technical depth to the expanding team. He previously held senior roles within payroll services and worked in financial services at Lloyds Banking Group.
Together, the appointments reflect AMS’s commitment to investing in specialist expertise in Scotland, while supporting clients across the UK with compliant payroll delivery, enhanced reporting and proactive advisory support.
Raymond Ford and Michael McAllister
Michael said: “Having worked across the north of Scotland throughout my career, it’s particularly rewarding to join a firm that is investing so strongly in the region and positioning Scotland at the heart of its growth strategy.
“From the outset, it was clear that AMS Accountants Group is the ideal platform for the next stage of my career. Its ambition to become the leading advisory-led professional services firm in the mid-market presents a compelling opportunity to further strengthen and scale a best-in-class payroll and employment tax offering, led with a style the market increasingly needs - hands-on, personal and genuinely people-focused.
“Payroll and employment taxes are no longer viewed simply as administrative functions. For growing businesses, they have become a strategic, board-level consideration - central to governance, risk management and workforce planning. AMS’s progressive approach to technology, and its investment in real-time data and digital reporting, will allow us to go even further by giving clients access to live insights through intuitive dashboards and visual reporting, creating a truly market-leading experience.”
McAllister has known Steven Fraser, regional managing partner - Scotland, for many years through their work in the profession and was approached directly as AMS Accountants Group looked to appoint a senior leader to support its next phase of growth.
Michael added: “I have long admired Steven’s leadership and track record, and joining forces at this point feels both timely and exciting. By doing things differently, we have a real opportunity to create something distinctive for our clients. Raymond’s technical expertise will further strengthen our payroll capability, alongside our established relationship-led approach under Wendy Atkinson, director of growth and partnerships.”
Steven said: “Michael and Raymond’s appointments reinforce our long-term commitment to Scotland and the North-east. Michael brings deep technical expertise, strong leadership and an understanding of the regional business landscape, which will be invaluable as we continue to grow our Aberdeen headquarters and expand our advisory-led services.”