CENTRAL and Eastern Europe specialist Cormack Consultancy Group has formed a "strategic partnership" with Portuguese consultants Market Access, aimed at widening its offer to international-minded Scottish businesses.

The tie-up is the precursor to a potential merger, predicted in about a year's time.

CCG has been working with over 700 UK businesses and higher education institutions seeking to expand in Europe since 1999. Headquartered in Edinburgh, the group has offices in Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Based in Porto, Market Accessed is focused on Latin America, China, North America and Africa.

Both companies enable companies to reduce internationalisation risks, by deploying their in-country management teams to help, advise and guide internationalising clients in unfamiliar commercial terrain.

Charles Cormack, founder of CCG said: "We are delighted to be forming this strategic relationship with Market Access. We have been working with them on projects for some time, so know the quality of their expertise and staff. This relationship will allow both companies to increase the markets they are able to offer clients. We see it as the living together stage before marriage."

Rui Sousa, managing partner for Market Access said: "Today, we operate in 45 countries and have already supported over 300 businesses. This partnership with Cormack Consulting allows us to offer more markets and more expertise to our clients. It helps us to make globalisation a much less daunting challenge for businesses. Together we can propose a wider range of solutions and possibilities to our clients. We will allow them to get results faster and in more markets."

The two firms, which have a joint turnover of around £2.5 million have around 25 years of combined experienced in international consultancy in products and services.