ECI Partners buys UK accountancy firm Shaw Gibbs from Apiary Capital

What's the deal? ECI PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired Shaw Gibbs, a top 35 UK accountancy practice, from Apiary CapitalDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The deal value was not disclosed. Travers SmithDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, alongside Marlborough PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, advised ECI on the debt financing.

What's Shaw Gibbs? The firm provides accounting, tax, and advisory services to about 25,000 clients. Those include private individuals, entrepreneurial businesses, public sector and non-profit organisations, and international groups.

Why now? The acquisition marks ECI's latest move in financial services, following investments in KB AssociatesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and IGG. For Apiary Capital, the sale provides a full exit.

The signal: Private equity continues to consolidate the fragmented UK accountancy market, targeting practices with recurring revenue and large client bases. ECI's buildout of a financial services portfolio suggests the sector remains a magnet for investor capital.

Read more: traverssmith.com

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