Apiary Capital invests £10m in Shaw Gibbs

Apiary Capital has completed a £10m investment in Oxford-headquartered Shaw Gibbs, a leading provider of essential accounting, tax, payroll and related advisory services to over 4,000 SMEs and high net worth individuals. The company has over 100 team members and is led by experienced industry operator, Peter O’Connell, who has been Managing Partner since 2016.

“We recognised that we needed a like-minded partner to support the next chapter of our growth and I am delighted to have found that in Apiary.”

Peter O’Connell, Managing Partner, Shaw Gibbs.

Shaw Gibbs operates in a large and growing market that has historically been resilient throughout the cycle. In addition, the sector remains highly fragmented with over 40,000 accountancy firms in the UK. Apiary’s investment will allow Shaw Gibbs to accelerate its ambitious expansion plans through a targeted M&A programme. The investment will also facilitate the expansion of the service offering to new and existing clients.

Shaw Gibbs is a member of DFK International, an association with 219 member firms with 467 offices across 101 countries, that was established to share best practice and to promote international expansion.

Peter O’Connell, Managing Partner at Shaw Gibbs said: “We are very proud of the business we have built, supported by a loyal team and entrepreneurial client base, and are convinced that Shaw Gibbs is ideally placed to capitalise on the compelling consolidation opportunity in the sector. In order to achieve our ambitious growth plans, we recognised that we needed a like-minded partner to support the next chapter of our growth and I am delighted to have found that in Apiary.”

“Peter and his team have created an enviable business underpinned by best-in-class client service and a strong culture,” commented Nicki Boyd, Partner at Apiary Capital. “We are delighted to be supporting them as they now look to capitalise on the strong platform they have built through a targeted buy-and-build strategy.”