Edinburgh-founded HR practice doubles in size year on from tie-up

An Edinburgh-founded human resources specialist has doubled in size since joining accounting and business services group AAB just 12 months ago.

Purpose HR was founded by Lisa Thomson in 2014 to provide HR advice and support to early stage and high growth investor-backed businesses through consultancy and ‘“HR as a service” outsourcing. Last July, the business joined AAB Group, complementing its high growth areas including payroll and virtual finance.

Prior to joining AAB, Purpose HR’s team of ten people was based solely in Edinburgh and focused on working with businesses in the technology and life science sectors. In the past year, that team has doubled in size, with 20 people now working from offices in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow.

The HR firm has also expanded into additional sectors, including energy and food and drink.

As the team has grown, Purpose HR’s client numbers and recurring revenues have also doubled in 12 months.

Thomson said: “The past 12 months have been really exciting for the team at Purpose HR, and as a founder it has been so rewarding to see the goals I set for the business come to fruition.

“Expanding into new locations has also allowed us to bolster the number of senior and early career positions as well as making several internal promotions. Developing our footprint across different sectors was a significant priority for me when we joined AAB Group, so witnessing clear progress in these areas in such a short space of time makes me incredibly optimistic for the future.”

Douglas Martin, chief commercial officer at AAB, said: “We knew this combination was a strong strategic fit for both businesses, and to see the success achieved in the first year positions us well to deliver on our ambitious growth plans.

Purpose HR was founded by Lisa Thomson in 2014. Picture: Peter Devlin

“Lisa and her team have been a fantastic addition to the AAB Group and we look forward to growing this part of our business even further going forward.”

AAB - Anderson Anderson & Brown - is headquartered in Aberdeen with offices in Scotland, England and Ireland. The group has some 550 staff including 41 partners and a turnover in the region of £50 million.