Partner Article

Accountants at Alexander Knight & Co target growth

MANCHESTER accountancy practice Alexander Knight & Co is growing and on track for a £2m turnover by the end of next year.

Alexander Knight & Co currently employs eight people but aims to double staff numbers by the end of 2016. The firm believes Manchester is the perfect environment for business growth and says providing strategic advice to local owner managed and family-run businesses is paying dividends.

Alexander Knight & Co, which is based at Manchester Airport was founded in 2012 by Murray Patt who started his accountancy career in London before joining PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) in Manchester. He then became an equity partner at Stockport-based HURST. There he spent almost 15 years advising entrepreneurs on business strategy, exit strategies, tax and audit matters.

The practice is already acting on key projects for seasoned entrepreneurs including Selwyn Jones who sold £15m turnover coach and bus company Selwyn’s Travel to Metrolink operator RATP Dev UK last year and Martin Moore the founder of Martin Moore Kitchens.

Murray Patt, founder of Alexander Knight & Co, said:

“Our sweet spot is advising owners of companies in the £1m to £10m range and these are the types of successful companies that Manchester excels at producing. I strongly believe there is an opportunity to guide business owners on strategic issues at this level. We’re able to bring ‘big firm’ thinking to SME’s who might ordinarily use a high street practice.

“We’re ambitious about our growth targets but we feel that Manchester is the best breeding ground for entrepreneurs in the world. We’re forecasting a £2m fee income by the end of next year and we’ll do that by recruiting great people, keeping our overheads low and adding value by sharing the experiences we’ve gleaned over the years. We’re securing new clients all the time and certainly enough to make me think about moving to larger premises next year.

“I was inspired to name the practice after my children and I believe that that business isn’t one dimensional in that it can never be purely about the money. I believe the best businesses are those that maintain a combination of hard commercial acumen and the softer skills of emotional intelligence and people management.

“My staff have been loyal to me and I’ve known them for many years whether working with them as a colleague or from the client side of the table. We’re geared up for more growth and I’m keen on employing more people from industry as well as those currently working in practice. 2015 will be a big year for the economy and a big year for business and I fully intend for us to be right in the middle of things as we grow.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Alexander Knight .