SIX MONTHS ON FROM ACQUISITION.

Chemistry. Culture. Values. When these things click, everything else tends to follow. And that is exactly what’s underpinned a remarkably smooth first six months since Hutcheon Mearns joined Cooper Parry.

When we founded Hutcheon Mearns in Aberdeen more than ten years ago, there was never a grand plan to sell. We were growing, ambitious and proud of what we were building. Then CP came knocking and it quickly became clear that the fit was simply too good to ignore. We wanted to become part of the next gen professional service group being built.

It started over dinner in Edinburgh with members of the senior leadership team. Within minutes it was obvious that we thought the same way. We are a people business and so are they. The CP leadership team genuinely care about their teams and their clients. That shared mindset made the conversation effortless. Before we knew it, the deal was done. Six weeks from handshake to completion. A blur in the best possible way.

Looking back, four things made the decision easy:

• Chemistry. Proper cultural alignment, shared values and a willingness to be bold. Both businesses embrace doing things differently rather than following the crowd.
• Cooper Parry already had a Scottish presence through Neil Norman and his team but were offering services we didn’t. That created instant potential for workflow, collaboration and new client solutions.
• We had started expanding beyond Aberdeen into Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Our sights were on England but we were essentially starting cold. Joining CP meant stepping into a recognised brand with a two thousand strong team across the UK.
• Complementary services. We brought specialist interim, finance recruitment and business intelligence. They brought audit, tax and broader advisory particularly around Deals and corporate finance. Together, we immediately widened the range of problems we could solve.

Six months on and the chemistry is still front and centre. We are like‑minded. The cultural match is real. The team dynamic has been incredibly positive. We’re working as one to make CP the leading next gen professional services group in the UK

Having worked in a private equity backed business before, I know integrations can be messy. Change is never easy when your business revolves around people. But when the chemistry is there, everything becomes that bit smoother.

CP’s approach has been structured, supportive and well tested through previous acquisitions. Service line integration has been business as usual while we explore where we can genuinely add firepower to each other.

Clients have responded brilliantly. They can see how naturally the two firms slot together. Our existing relationships now have access to a much wider range of services and solutions. Hutcheon Mearns brought established strength across interim, finance recruitment and business intelligence while CP added depth in areas such as audit, tax, wealth management and corporate finance. The result is a broader, more connected service offering that is opening up new opportunities on both sides.

We have covered a lot of ground quickly. A full rebrand. A complete induction for the whole team. Momentum from day one. And yes, I have had to get used to having a boss after running the business for over a decade. That’s been a personal shift but in a good way. CP moves at rocket pace and the PE environment naturally pushes us forward. At the same time, we have stayed true to our roots as a relationship driven firm.

One of the areas I am most excited about is how our AI and business intelligence capability can be scaled across CP. There is real potential to take us several steps ahead of competitors in efficiency and insight.

We’ve been encouraged to bring ideas to the table and that openness has been energising. The environments they create for people are outstanding. Culture is not a buzzword here. It is baked into the DNA. Being part of a bigger business also gives our team real longevity and career pathways. That matters.

And yes, there is even talk of a Tennent’s lager tap going into the new office fit out which might just help lure a client or two through the door. I can’t wait to open the new CP Aberdeen Hub and show everyone what we have been building together.

Onwards and upwards. Want to know more about the Finance Recruitment service that we brought to CP? Get in touch and let’s have a chat.