ACCOUNTANCY firm Scott-Moncrieff is expanding its presence in the Highlands through a merger with Callander Colgan.

The deal, scheduled to complete in May, will see Mhairi Callander become a partner at Scott-Moncrieff with Brian Colgan remaining as a director. All 12 staff at Inverness based Callander Colgan are being retained.

Ms Callander said: "Merging with Scott-Moncrieff is a huge opportunity for the business, and it also gives our staff the chance to develop within the context of a larger firm with an international network.

"Our objective of providing clients with a high quality personal service will not change, and can only be enhanced by the merger."

Scott-Moncrieff, which has offices in Edinburgh and Glasgow, already has clients in the Highlands but sees the move as a way to grow further in the region.

Stewart MacDonald, managing partner of Scott-Moncrieff, said the firm has taken its time to find a merger partner.

He said: "We have a growing client base in the Highlands, with a particularly strong public sector practice, and the time is right for us to have an established local presence.

"Callander Colgan, as an extremely strong business with a complimentary skill set, is the ideal merger partner for us and by coming together, both businesses stand to benefit a great deal."

At the moment Scott-Moncrieff has 19 partners and more than 180 staff.