The Aberdeen-based business recorded turnover reaching £6.2 million, due to an increase in its statutory audit work and demand for its advisory services.

It has grown its workforce to more than 80 people with a further 10 expected to join the firm within the next 18 months as part of its push to hire people with digital skills to meet the profession’s changing demands. The new AI and digital transformation service will launch next month.

Managing partner Robert Bain told the P&J: “There’s a lot of emphasis now in terms of the accountancy profession in adopting digital platforms, enhancing the ability to give data analytics to clients, and also the use of AI.

“So I think as we move forward, I can see us needing people that specialise in that rather than somebody who can prepare a set of accounts or audit a set of accounts or prepare a tax return, for example.

“We see ourselves growing steadily, but also on the pathway of embracing the new technologies that are out there, so we don’t get left behind in the pack in the accountancy profession.

“It would be fair to say we are in a challenging marketplace locally. A lot of our clients are energy sector-dependent to some extent and we know it’s been a rocky road over the last wee while, and still a lot of uncertainty in terms of the future.

“But that said, I think why we have grown is we provide a decent, good quality service to our clients. Statutory audits have increased quite significantly over the course of the last year, and additional services in relation to advisory work have also increased.”