Bentley Jennison, the rapidly growing mid-tier firm, has said that its next acquisition will be in Scotland, Manchester or Newcastle.

National managing partner Tony Stockdale said that the firm is actively seeking to grow in these places.

In June the firm merged with Yorkshire practice wbs. This and the acquisition of Forty Two Consulting, also in June, has pushed fee income up 47m - double last year's total. On the new Accountancy Top 60, Bentley Jennison ranks at number 17, but if the recent acquisitions are taken into account it would rise to 14th place.

The firm has acquired a string of offices in the last few years, declaring its intention to be the biggest firm outside the Big Four in each geographical location in which it operates.