About Us

We established Hutcheon Mearns Real Estate because we love what we do, and because we are ready to offer clients exactly what they want from their specialist advisor.

Creating a real estate proposition for our clients was a natural, progressive and innovative next step for Hutcheon Mearns after successfully establishing a deals advisory business in 2018.

We take pride in being fresh and forward thinking – in combining over 15 years of experience in the Scottish market with new drive and energy.

It equips us to challenge the status quo with an approach founded upon good honest advice; we treat each property as if it were our own.

We are loyal, we are driven and we get the job done.

We are Hutcheon Mearns Real Estate.

Our values

At Hutcheon Mearns Real Estate we aim to provide a dynamic service in commercial real estate whilst being true to our values. Our clients are the backbone to our business and we stay true to our values when delivering solutions.​

Innovative

We like to challenge norms and conventions in our approach to providing professional services. We are focused on solving problems for our clients - and doing so in ways that are new and refreshing.

Agile

When confronted with problems, we move fast to design and implement solutions. We embrace change and relish challenges. We have a flexible approach to work and this adaptability helps us to deliver our clients' goals.

Open

We are candid with our clients, ready to communicate difficult messages if required. We maintain regular, open communication to ensure successful outcomes - but are also rigorously discreet with confidential information.

Collaborative

We are a close-knit team which thrives on knowledge-sharing. Our people harness the power of our network to deliver a superior range of services. We partner with our clients for the long term.

Trustworthy

We value honesty and integrity, our 'personal brand' if you like. This is a pillar of who we are and of the firm. We aspire to be our clients' trusted advisors.

Real Estate

Peter Stuart

Non-Executive Director

Peter joined Hutcheon Mearns in 2021 as a non-executive Board advisor. Peter was educated at Montrose Academy before completing an engineering degree at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. From there he started his career with Halliburton and pursued an engineering career within the Oil and Gas sector which has spanned some 40+ years, working in roles within Sparrows Offshore, Drexel, Tuboscope and National Oilwell Varco (NOV). In his latter years with Tuboscope and NOV, he was responsible for running the company’s Eastern Hemisphere operations. 

For the past 15 years, Peter has worked in an advisory and executive management capacity with Oil and Gas Private Equity firm SCF Partners, including five spells as acting CEO of portfolio businesses. He is currently a non-executive director of both Score Group Ltd and Hydrasun and is also Chairman of Montrose Port Authority, Chairman of Montrose Plug Ltd, and Chief Exec of Montrose Football Club. 

Experience

43 years in engineering and management roles, 15 years in advisory and executive management.

Role

Strategic business support and non-executive board member.

Rick Clark

Non-Executive Director

Rick joined the Hutcheon Mearns Board in 2016 to help guide the business through its rapid growth, providing direction and experience to the Board. Having spent 15 years as a Partner at KPMG before a career as CFO with private equity-backed businesses, Rick has the ideal blend of skills and experience for his advisory role with Hutcheon Mearns. Rick is also a partner in specialist investor Eos Advisory, a former trustee of the charity Dundee Heritage Trust and a non-executive director of the Insights businesses. 

Experience

15 years as a partner with KPMG, and 15 years as a CFO in leading Private Equity backed businesses.

Role

Strategic business support and non-executive board member.

Iain Landsman

Managing Director - Real Estate

Iain has over 15 years’ experience in the Scottish real estate market and is a specialist in agency, lease consultancy and investment transactions. Previously, Iain was a Director at CBRE in the National Agency Team having joined the business as part of the acquisition of Paul Gee & Co in 2008. Iain was also a key member of CBRE’s Global Energy Practice Group.

Experience

Iain has been involved in some of the highest profile transactions in the Scottish market with key clients including – Baker Hughes, Oceaneering, CBRE Investment Management, Raiths Farm Properties, Drum Property Group and M&G Real Estate.

Role

Iain heads up the Hutcheon Mearns Real Estate business and is responsible for creating value for clients with strategic advice and deal execution.

Craig Hutcheon CA

Director

Craig is a Qualified Chartered Accountant with 15+ years of industry and Big 4 professional services experience. Prior to his founding role at Hutcheon Mearns, he was Group Finance Controller of Private Equity backed Reservoir Group, where he oversaw over 20 acquisitions and integration projects before the $500m+ sale to ALS Ltd while growing and managing a team of 55. Craig, who has significant systems implementation expertise, launched Hutcheon Mearns in 2015 to create a new proposition in the professional financial services sector and has led the market application of our highly successful business model. Today he is responsible for overall oversight of our operations.

Experience

6 years practice in Assurance at KPMG and 7 years in senior industry finance roles at Reservoir Group. 

Role

Founder of Hutcheon Mearns: focused on constant development, growth and new idea generation. 

Sarah Hay

Administrative Assistant

Sarah brings a wealth of prior administrative experience and organisation skills to Hutcheon Mearns, having spent 10 years working in the Financial Services sector at a local law firm, where latterly she fulfilled the role of Administration Manager. Sarah supports the whole team at Hutcheon Mearns to ensure an exceptional level of standards is maintained for our clients.

Experience

10 years supporting a financial services business as their Administration Manager. 

Role

Sarah supports the business and its senior management team with administrative and marketing support.

Deal Advisory

Jason Ting

Transactions Services Senior Analyst

Jason graduated from the University of Manchester in 2017 with a Masters in Chemical Engineering. To pursue his interest in the Finance industry, he began his career in the EY Assurance team in Aberdeen where he completed the graduate program and obtained his CA qualification in 2020. Jason continued working in EY two years post-qualification, achieving the role of Assistant Manager before deciding to move into industry. His time at EY included being a key team member for audits of major clients in the Oil and Gas sector which involved liaising with internal management and clients, coaching junior team members, and auditing higher-risk areas such as complex impairment models.

In 2022, he joined Subsea7’s Internal Audit team where he gained valuable experience auditing the company’s diverse offshore projects, analysing internal controls in complex supply chain processes, and reviewing large tender proposals.

Experience

Jason started his career in finance within EY’s Aberdeen Assurance team where he completed their graduate programme, obtaining his CA qualification in 2020 and remaining there for two years as an Assistant Manager before moving into Industry at Subsea7 where he was part of the Internal Audit team.

Nathan Taylor

Corporate Finance Senior Analyst

Nathan’s career began in accountancy with Johnston Carmichael as an audit assistant where he was responsible for assisting in audits for SME owner managed businesses across a wide variety of sectors, including Oil & Gas Services, Food & Drink and Marine. Nathan was also responsible for assisting in the preparation of financial statements for SME businesses as well as Sole Traders. Nathan left Johnston Carmichael to join the accounts and audit team at Meston Reid where his responsibilities included the preparation of small company financial statements for a wide variety of clients across multiple sectors.

In 2019, Nathan left Meston Reid and joined the UKI Assurance Department of EY Aberdeen as a PQ Senior and latterly in 2021 was promoted to Assistant Manager after completing his ICAS Studies in May of that year. As an Assistant Manager, Nathan was a core member of his two clients: a FTSE 100 listed multi-national Energy Company and an International Pub and Brewery Company. His role within the teams was to manage the delivery of the group audit and quarterly reporting as well as the UK statutory reporting requirements of the UK subsidiaries. His other responsibilities included the detailed reviewing of work performed by junior team members and the detailed testing of impairment assumptions, decommissioning costs of E&P assets and detailed financial analysis. This work involved auditing key areas within complex valuation models and being a key contact to management and others within the internal team.

Experience

Over 5 years’ experience in practice, including 3 years in Big 4 assurance as well as being CA Trained.

Adam Maitland

Managing Director - Business Advisory

Adam joined Hutcheon Mearns in 2017 to lead our corporate finance and strategic advisory offering. Adam has over 15 years of corporate development and transaction related experience, ranging from Corporate Finance and Investment Banking to in-house Corporate Development for a Private Equity backed Oilfield Services group of companies. Latterly, Adam led PwC’s Oil & Gas Corporate Finance offering in the UK, prior to which he was in-house corporate development for Private Equity backed Reservoir Group and responsible for developing, executing and delivering the group’s strategic plans.

Experience

14 years of international corporate finance and deals expertise, from investment banking to leveraged finance and in-house M&A. 

Role

As co-owner, Adam leads the Business Advisory dimension of Hutcheon Mearns whilst contributing to the overall business strategy and progression. 

Naill Benzahia CA

Corporate Finance Manager

Naill graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 2014 with a first-class honours degree in Accountancy and Finance. Upon graduating Naill joined EY in Aberdeen where he completed his CA training, qualifying in 2017. Naill managed a diverse client base at EY. This was a mixture of E&P and oil services companies, from large international listed companies to private equity backed. He prides himself on his technical knowledge, understanding of upstream accounting and his ability to solve complex problems. Whilst at EY, Naill headed up Innovation for EY’s Aberdeen office, working as part of a network across the UK to develop and implement new methodologies and emerging technologies. Since joining Hutcheon Mearns, Naill has been a key member of the Advisory team as well as undertaking financial due diligence assignments and assisting our clients in interim financial controller roles.

Experience

Qualified with EY and spent 4 years in the audit team managing a variety of large-cap corporates and SME clients in the energy space. Joined Hutcheon Mearns to support the build out of a challenger corporate finance offering. 

Role

Naill manages M&A transactions on a day-to-day basis, leading projects from inception through to completion. Naill has also built a strong reputation in the delivery of integrated financial due diligence and corporate finance support to our clients, internationally. 

Craig Lyon CA

Senior Corporate Finance Advisor

Craig qualified as a chartered accountant with Price Bailey. He then worked for Arthur Andersen before joining RMD in Aberdeen where he was focused on audit and due diligence projects. Craig subsequently spent more than 16 years with energy investment bank Simmons & Company International where he accumulated considerable experience in the delivery of M&A and advisory assignments across a wide range of transaction sizes.

Experience

More than 25 years of experience across a wide range of financial roles, primarily in a professional services environment. 

Role

Craig leads our due diligence offering. He also provides valuable input to our corporate finance team. 

Shaun Sambrook ACCA

Corporate Finance Senior Analyst

Shaun’s career in accountancy began at William Wilson before moving to Walker Technical Resources as an assistant accountant, where Shaun was responsible for monthly balance sheet reconciliations and consolidation of monthly management accounts, while being a key contact for statutory audits. During his time at Walker Technical Resources, the group (ICR Integrity) was acquired by a Private Equity firm, Graphite Capital, giving Shaun his first exposure to M&A.
Shaun left Walker Technical Resources to join EY’s Assurance Department in 2016, where he managed a diverse client base including E&P and oil services companies, from large international listed companies to private equity backed. During his time at EY, Shaun qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2019.
In August 2019 Shaun joined Anderson Brown as Corporate Finance Assistant Manager, where he enjoyed advising a variety of clients across an array of sectors, primarily working on financial due diligence and fundraising support. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Shaun joined Bancon Group as Group Accountant on a fixed term contract. While at Bancon, Shaun was responsible for monthly reporting and consolidation for board review, along with the preparation and consolidation of forecasts. While at Bancon, Shaun was also responsible for preparing the consolidated group and subsidiary statutory accounts and was the key point of contact for the Auditors.
Since joining Hutcheon Mearns, Shaun has been a key member of the Advisory team as well as undertaking financial due diligence assignments

Experience

Over 5 years in practice, including Big 4, 5 years in industry.

Role

Consolidated management accounts, analytical review, financial statements, forecasting and budgeting, modelling.