International deals and office move on the cards for RSM one year on

A YEAR on from RSM’s major rebranding, and it’s not just the mugs that have changed.

“It’s amazing how time has flown,” said Kevin O’Connor, RSM’s regional managing partner in Yorkshire and the North East, following a year in which the firm underwent a company-wide rebrand as well as announcing its office move to Central Square.

“The Baker Tilly brand didn’t give any sense of size. Now the perceptions in the marketplace have changed and we’ve had new opportunities and won new work as a result of the rebrand.”

The firm is still aiming at the growing, entrepreneurial mid-market and would not wish to get into the space of the Big Four, but this does not mean RSM is not ambitious, said Mr O’Connor.

“We wanted people to know we can look after them across the world, wherever they chose to do business or work. We can emphasise our international credentials and be in a proactive rather than reactive position.”

RSM is a significant brand in the US which Mr O’Connor said was appealing particularly to customers in the Far East.

“There are so many organisations that require that breadth of service without wanting or having to go to the Big Four,” he said.

The company is also looking forward to a major move to Central Square next year.

Since the acquisition of RSM Tenon in 2013, RSM has been operating between two sites – Springfield House on Wellington Street and Whitehall Quay.

The firm has signed on to 25,000 sq ft and will be moving around 300 people to its new offices in Central Square next summer, which Mr O’Connor said was one of the only buildings in Leeds that could provide the amount of space needed on one floor. For a flagship office it’s only right they should be in a flagship building.

“We’re sending a strong statement to the market on where we want be as a firm,” he said, particularly after the turbulent events of the past year.

“There has been a lot of conversation about Brexit – in every client meeting it’s on the list, but it’s had no effect on us as a business as yet,” Mr O’Connor said. “Post 23 June, some deals were paused and the majority have come back on again, so there’s been no real slow down – the corporate finance guys are as busy as ever.

“There is still uncertainty as to what it will look like, but businesses have put it to one side as no one can do anything about it. What kind of Brexit will come through we don’t know – at this stage so the fun is still to happen!

“We’ve still got a lot to deal with, the government is still borrowing billions. Osborne tinkered with tax and Hammond may do the same. It makes life complicated but we like that as a business – as we can help our clients to navigate the changes.”