HLB Mann Judd completes WA acquisition, round of appointments

HLB Mann Judd Perth has announced its acquisition of a WA-based firm, A Plus Business Advisors, growing its presence in the region, along with 10 appointments across its Australian network.

Expanding its presence in Western Australia, HLB’s Perth division has acquired A Plus Business Advisors, a firm providing a variety of business advisory services including, advice, coaching, tax compliance and planning, bookkeeping, and business finance.

The A Plus team has been operating in Perth since 2006, providing advisory services to individuals and small business owners across a broad range of industries.

Through this deal, Garry Anderson, director and owner of A Plus, and Maka Sikazwe, the associate director of the firm, have joined HLB Perth as directors in the business advisory division.

Speaking on the acquisition, head of business advisory at HLB Mann Judd Perth, Rowan Tracey said: “This growth gives us additional depth across several key areas and ensures we continue to offer tailored, practical advice to help our clients navigate the road ahead.”

Anderson said: “From our earliest conversations with HLB, it was clear that their culture and client-first mindset closely aligned with ours. I’m excited to be joining the firm and contributing to this next phase of growth.

The deal, which came into force on 3 November, sees the Perth team rise to more than 30 employees.

This growth comes as WA is emerging as an attractive market for M&A activity, with local firms expecting to see greater consolidation in the region.

Namely, Jane Tandy, founder and managing director of WA-based advice firm Leeuwin Wealth, told Money Management that WA has reached a “notable phase of consolidation and strategic repositioning”.

Meanwhile, HLB also announced a round of appointments across the group, including Anna Janssen who has been named director of advisory services at the HLB Mann Judd Newcastle.

In the firm’s advisory and taxation team, Nilan Gandhi has been promoted to director of HLB Mann Judd Brisbane and Trent Boncompagni has been promoted to associate at the firm’s Wollongong office, while Steve Windsor recently joined the Perth business advisory services division as a director in August.

On the HLB Mann Judd Newcastle audit and assurance team, Natalie Dobinson has been promoted to director, with Alyce Stones and Jacob Medel joining as partners. Down south, Alex Roberts has been appointed as partner in audit and assurance at the Melbourne office.

Reflecting on this growth, HLB Mann Judd Australasian Association chair, Tony Fittler, said: “These new appointments and the Perth acquisition reflect the depth of talent within our network, and our ongoing commitment to investing in the next generation of leaders. As we continue to grow, our focus remains on delivering exceptional outcomes for clients and providing meaningful career opportunities for our people.”

Spanning Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, the advisory and accounting association has some 13 offices, 11 independent member firms, and one representative firm across its international network, specialising in delivering independence advice and accounting services.