Gillespie Macandrew profits climb 20 per cent

Pictured: Robert Graham-Campbell, CEO of Gillespie Macandrew
Gillespie Macandrew has posted an 11 per cent rise in turnover to £19.6 million and a 20 per cent increase in profits to £6.3m for the year ending 28 February 2025.
Staff at the firm will benefit from a seven per cent firm-wide bonus following the results, which mark double-digit organic turnover growth for the firm in three of the last four years and a doubling of turnover over the last 10 years.
The firm attributes its progress to having a clear business strategy focused on deepening its expertise in the firm’s four core sectors, land and rural business, energy, private client and commercial real estate.
Chief executive officer Robert Graham-Campbell said: “As these financial results demonstrate, our strategy of sector focus is paying dividends, enabling us to deliver a highly competitive offering to our clients in terms of expertise, knowledge and service provision.
“This focus also helps consolidate the development of expertise in our staff through their exposure to the highest quality of clients and legal work in these sectors.
“In a competitive and consolidating marketplace for legal services, our approach will continue to ensure our clients receive premium legal advisory and transactional services based on expertise and experience gained through specialisation.”
Gillespie Macandrew’s achievements this year include advising on energy projects with a global development value of an estimated £20 billion including Berwick Wind Farm and Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm, the largest operational offshore wind farm in Scotland with a total generating capacity of 1.075GW.
The firm also advised Criterion Capital in the purchase of the former Debenhams store, Princes Street, Edinburgh for a hotel development and assisted a private bank in the refinance of c.£33m of commercial investment properties.
Both its private client and land and rural business sectors achieved record results, with the firm acting as trusted advisors to family generations and some of Scotland’s largest estates.
This year also saw the firm complete the refurbishment of its Edinburgh office and replacement of its core IT platform to fulfil its cloud-first strategy, together aimed at modernising the business and underpinning ambitions to be the best place to work and provide the best client service.
Continuing to support communities and charities closely aligned with its ESG commitments, the firm also commenced a two-year partnership with charity partners Richmond’s Hope and Change Mental Health.
This follows the conclusion of charity partnerships with Alzheimer’s Scotland and the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity – for whom the firm has raised a significant sum of £139,000 over a three year partnership.
As part of a wider ESG commitment, the firm was awarded Bronze status by EcoVadis in recognition of its sustainability achievements.
The positive results also follow the firm’s recent appointment of a new chair, Frank Blin CBE. He has a distinguished career spanning over 38 years with global professional services firm PWC, together with a wealth of experience in the commercial and professional services sectors in Scotland.
Mr Graham-Campbell said: “The appointment of Frank signals an exciting new chapter for Gillespie Macandrew.
“Frank’s professional experience and leadership will be instrumental as we continue to grow our market presence in our four core sectors, as well as attract new talent and deepen our commitment to delivering exceptional legal services to our clients across Scotland and beyond.”