Scottish Financial Enterprise and Edinburgh-headquartered law firm Burness Paull have joined forces to launch a new guide for firms considering locating in Scotland.

The guide aims to build momentum from Scotland’s Global Investment Summit, co-hosted by SFE and the Lord Mayor of London earlier this month, which brought global investors to Edinburgh to showcase the best of Scotland’s investment opportunities across three key sectors.

The guide, which sets out both Scotland’s attractiveness and the legal practicalities of doing business in Scotland, aims to make it easier for financial and professional services businesses to set up in Scotland.

The sector, which contributes £17.7 billion to the economy and employs over 150,000 people in Scotland, is vital to the nation’s economic prosperity. The guide aims to build on this success by making it easier for international financial and professional services organisations to enter the Scottish market.

Sandy Begbie CBE, CEO of Scottish Financial Enterprise, said: “Scotland has a lot to offer investors but we are often reluctant to shout about it on the world stage. Scotland’s Global Investment Summit aimed to rectify that to global investors, and this guide aims to help firms looking at their location strategies to navigate the practicalities of setting up in Scotland.

“The strength of Scotland’s financial and professional services sector has attracted a range of international firms – large and small – to Scotland in recent years and with our proximity to London, impressive talent pool and deep heritage, Scotland provides a fantastic opportunity for businesses looking to expand.

“A key part of our sector growth strategy is ensuring Scotland is seen as an attractive place to do business and this guide will help firms considering Scotland.”

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Commenting on the guide, Caroline Stevenson, Head of Financial Services Regulatory at Burness Paull, said: “Scotland has long been recognised as a global centre for financial services, blending centuries of expertise with an entrepreneurial, forward-looking outlook – supported by a robust and innovative regulatory environment.

“As a Scotland-based firm with a global outlook, we are perfectly placed to advise those looking to take advantage of what Scotland has to offer. Our clients include both established institutions and innovative disruptors that are shaping the future of the sector, so we see daily how Scotland provides the perfect ecosystem to establish and grow financial services businesses.”