London and Oxford accountancy firm Shaw Gibbs announces the acquisition of London-based accountancy practice Cooper Murray. The acquisition enables the firm to extend its offering to enterprises based in the capital, and brings a host of new services to Cooper Murray’s business and private clients. The move is a major step in Shaw Gibbs’ growth of its London operation.

Shaw Gibbs Managing Director, Peter O’Connell, says: “We are expanding our capabilities on many fronts, increasingly providing professional financial services to clients with property and international firms investing in the UK. We are delighted to be able to offer Cooper Murray's clients added value with our broad range of services and expertise, and look forward to working with the team to further develop our London practice.”

Shaw Gibbs incorporating Cooper Murray will offer a full range of professional accountancy services to businesses and individuals. The combined firm has a fully-fledged back office infrastructure, dedicated corporate and personal tax, VAT experts, corporate finance, financial services and mortgage teams, HR support as well as insolvency and corporate recovery specialists.

Clients will also benefit from Shaw Gibbs’s extensive global reach and international accountancy capabilities. The firm is a member of DFK International, a worldwide association of independent accounting firms and business advisers with over 200 member firms covering 85 countries.

Cooper Murray partner Peter Watts comments: “This is a great opportunity to add value for our clients with enhanced capabilities. There is a natural fit with Shaw Gibbs, on a cultural as well as a business level, and this deal enables us to continue to provide an excellent service while giving our clients access to a much larger pool of experience and resources.”

Cooper Murray was established in the 1980s by Neil Murray and Jeffrey Cooper, who continue to provide consultancy services. The firm offers all aspects of accountancy, business development and tax expertise for every stage of the business life cycle and its clients include property firms, traditional retailers and private individuals.

Shaw Gibbs is a large accountancy and business advisory practice with offices in London and Oxford and a track-record spanning more than 80 years. The firm’s clients include owner-managed businesses, larger enterprises, high net worth individuals, investors and overseas companies based in the UK.