Accountancy giant strengthens its presence in the capital with move to Semple Street, signaling confidence in Scottish market.
EDINBURGH | May 22, 2025 — Business advisory and accountancy powerhouse BDO is deepening its commitment to Scotland by securing a 10-year lease on a new office in Edinburgh’s financial hub. The firm is relocating to 30 Semple Street, where it will occupy 8,176 square feet of modern workspace, replacing its current offices at City Point, Haymarket Terrace.
Strategic Property Expansion
The new Edinburgh premises form part of a broader strategy by BDO to modernize and optimize its national office footprint. The firm, which operates across 18 locations in the UK and employs 8,000 staff, is investing heavily in creating collaborative, sustainable, and agile workspaces to support a hybrid working model.
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Current Office: City Point, Haymarket Terrace
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New Location: 30 Semple Street, Edinburgh
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Size: 8,176 ft²
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Move Date: Autumn 2025
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Lease Term: 10 years
Martin Gill, Regional Managing Partner for BDO Scotland, said the new office signals “a statement of intent for our business and our belief in the people and businesses based here.”
Edinburgh Expansion Follows Glasgow Success
This move comes on the heels of BDO’s 2022 expansion in Glasgow, where the firm took on 8,000+ ft² at 2 Atlantic Square. BDO now employs more than 200 people in Glasgow alone, underlining the firm’s rapid growth across Scotland’s two largest cities.
Recent BDO Office Moves:
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Glasgow – 2 Atlantic Square (2022)
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Manchester, Guildford, Nottingham, Ipswich – New offices opened recently
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Birmingham, Bristol, Southampton – Major refurbishments completed
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London HQ – New 220,000 ft² flagship HQ coming to the West End in 2027
Confidence in the Scottish Market
BDO’s growth strategy is anchored in supporting the UK’s mid-sized and high-growth businesses, which it says are vital to the national economy. The new Edinburgh office will provide flexibility and scale for future recruitment and service expansion.
“We’ve taken more space than we currently need to give us the opportunity to continue to expand our depth and breadth of services,” Gill added.
The Semple Street location, known for its sustainable design credentials, aligns with BDO’s ESG focus, further bolstered by the March 2025 appointment of Jono Szoke as Director of ESG due diligence.
A Global Network, Local Impact
BDO’s UK firm is part of the global BDO International alliance, which provides business advisory services in 166 countries. In the UK, the firm generates annual revenues of £1 billion ($1.34bn).
BDO at a Glance (UK) | |
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Offices | 18 |
Employees | 8,000 |
Annual Revenue | £1 billion |
Client Focus | Mid-sized, high-growth firms |
ESG Focus | Yes |
New HQ | London, West End (2027) |
BDO’s move to Semple Street marks another milestone in its Scottish expansion journey, reinforcing its reputation as a key advisor to the region’s growing business community.