KPMG in the Midlands has announced that it intends to grow its advisory practice, with plans to recruit a number of partners and directors to bolster its Performance and Technology team.

The professional services firm, which has regional offices in Birmingham, Leicester and Nottingham, intends to triple the size of its UK National Marketplace consulting business which, since its creation four years ago, has grown to employ over 1,000 people across the UK, with an annual revenue of £200 million.

Regionally, the team already employs 86 people across KPMG’s three Midland offices with over 70 people based in the Birmingham office.

Mel Egglenton, senior partner at KPMG in Birmingham and regional chairman, said: "As the short-term outlook for the economy remains uncertain, our clients across the region are increasingly turning to us for help and advice on areas such as cost optimisation, financial management or improving their technology systems.

"Looking ahead, we foresee demand for these services to only increase further.

"More generally, it’s absolutely essential that we continue to invest in our Midland operations in order that we are in the best possible position to take advantage of the upturn when it does arrive.

"We already have an excellent consulting team here in the Midlands led by Graham Smith, so I am delighted that this investment will allow them to use their extensive knowledge and expertise to assist even more of our clients across the region."

Graham Smith, partner, KPMG’s Performance and Technology practice, added: "If we are to meet our target of tripling our consulting business over the next four years, then it’s vital that we extend our reach, enabling us to work with businesses the length and breadth of the country.

"So far, our approach has been unique in that we have been able to strategically cherry-pick some of the very best people from across the consultancy industry and bring them here to KPMG.

"We very much intend to continue with this strategy, adding to the considerable talent that we already have in our regional offices."