UK and Ireland accounting and advisory firm AAB has launched a new office in Manchester at the landmark No.1 St Michael's development, as part of an accelerating expansion strategy backed by Goldman Sachs Alternatives, as reported by Consultancy.uk. The firm aims to grow its North West headcount to more than 200 people, building on an existing base of 70 staff in Bolton.

The Manchester launch follows AAB's acquisition of Kreston Reeves at the start of 2026, which created a combined firm of more than 1,800 people across 23 locations, extending its footprint from London and the South East across the rest of the UK and Ireland. Goldman Sachs Alternatives took a majority stake in AAB to accelerate that growth trajectory.

Chris Harland, head of the North West at AAB, said Manchester has one of the UK's most vibrant business communities but businesses need advisers who understand where they want to go, not just where they are today, and added: "Our ambition is to build long-term relationships with businesses and individuals as they grow and become more complex, combining accessible senior advisers here in Manchester with expertise from across AAB."

The Manchester team's expertise spans audit, tax, business advisory, corporate finance, outsourced finance support, payroll, employment and financial planning. The office is led by Harland and includes audit head Gary Harding, partners Muhammad Sharif, Alison Cornes and Adam Woodward, and office of the CFO director Joanne Waddicker, among others.

Emma Lancaster, CEO at AAB, described Manchester as a major long-term investment for the firm and added: "We have ambitious plans to build a 200 strong team, creating high-quality jobs and opportunities for the next generation of advisers in the region. Our existing presence in Bolton has given us strong foundations in the North West, and Manchester is the next stage of that growth."

AAB was founded in Aberdeen in 1990 and has expanded significantly through a series of acquisitions in recent years. The Manchester office represents the firm's most significant push into the North of England to date, positioning it to compete for scaling businesses across one of the UK's largest regional economies, with direct implications for mid-tier accountancy firms operating across the UK and Ireland market.