Thomsett Advisory

Trusted advisors to founder-led businesses.

M&A, Executive Search, Counsel.


We work with founders of £2m–£100m EV businesses who want to exit well. We acquire, advise, hire, and exit — sometimes one service, sometimes all of them.

Services.

01

M&A Advisory

We work with founder-led businesses to get built to exit. This includes:

  • Identifying acquisition opportunities that support growth
  • Referring you to our trusted network for funding solutions
  • Taking you to exit

Exit

We work with you as a trusted advisor and partner to exit your business. We help to identify the levers and positioning that unlock value. We find the right strategic acquirers who will most value what you have to sell. We work with you throughout the journey, unblocking obstacles and providing counsel in the most difficult moments. We co-ordinate due diligence stakeholders. And we help you to negotiate the best deal.

We can do this because we've seen both sides of the table. Our team has exited businesses personally. This matters a lot.

Acquiring

We help you buy companies. Add-ons to an existing business, or group or portfolio acquisitions. We advise on strategy, and find the best companies to buy to hit your goals. We enrol owners into selling. We co-ordinate due diligence providers. We help you negotiate the best deal.

02

Executive Search

We work with founder-led businesses to prepare for a future exit by identifying critical talent gaps and hiring them. This includes:

  • C-Suite and Director Hires – permanent, interim, fractional
  • Board Advisors
  • Individual Contributor Roles
  • Assessing the existing team to identify star performers or talent gaps

Importantly, we hire in the context of your business exit goals. We are advisory first. Our team has years of experience building boards and critical hires. They also have years of owner advisory experience through to exit. This matters, and sets us apart from recruitment companies.

03

Founder & Owner Advisory

Our trusted advice includes founder and owner counsel. In our view, you cannot separate the personal journey from the business journey. And fundamentally, we partner with the founder or owner. This means understanding your personal goals and values and supporting you with advice and introductions.

Our Partners.

Joe Thomsett

Joe Thomsett

Joe has 18+ years business experience. He is a Chartered Accountant with rich experience in business advisory. He completed a successful business turnaround. He spent 6 years building boards and management teams for founder-led companies undergoing transaction events. He took equity in and took to exit an edtech start-up.

Alex Lockey

Alex Lockey

Alex has 20+ years business experience. He built a successful education recruitment business. He operates a job board and training provider platform. He is a lean business systems expert and AI in business consultant. He has successfully advised on a number of deals.

Andy Bate

Andy Bate

Andy worked at PwC, KPMG, and Barclays Private Equity. He has sat on 20+ boards and been involved in 50+ M&A transactions. He teaches executive leadership at InPD. He has worked with hundreds of organisations from £5m to £500m revenue.

Tim Hastings

Tim Hastings

Tim has 20+ years board search and NED experience. He works closely with investors and business owners, advising on commercial strategy, succession and board recruiting. He has a robust network of investors, HNWIs, family offices and NEDs.

We have a network of sector specialists and board advisors that work on specific mandates. We maintain a network of intermediary and advisory relationships to introduce to our clients to meet their broader needs, across: tax, legal, wealth, funding and more.

Some Past Mandates.

M&AUK acquisition for an £8m EU-backed EdTech company
Exit£6.25m hotel exit
Exit7-figure EdTech exit
Exit6-figure play centre exit
SearchBoard and senior team appointed for a £50m business ahead of a nine-figure PE-backed MBO
SearchCEO hire for £250m market cap AIM listed professional services group prior to nine-figure exit
SearchChair hire for £9m E-Bikes startup post-funding with exit plan in mind
SearchMultiple board and critical hires of UHNW funded furniture e-commerce start-up

Sectors.

We are timing and size-led as opposed to sector-led. We work with founders of £2m–£100m EV companies looking to exit over the next 0–5 years, who want trusted advisory partners. We acquire, provide strategic advice, make critical hires, and exit. Sometimes one service, sometimes all of them.

That said, we often work in business and professional services, consumer services (hotels, care homes, dentists, veterinary), agencies, manufacturing and engineering, and e-commerce.

Contact.

If the timing is right, it is worth a conversation.

We work with a small number of clients at any one time. If something here is relevant to where you are — or where you are heading — reach out directly.

hello@thomsettadvisory.com

London, UK.

We respond to every message personally.

Newsletter

Breakthrough

Notes on perspectives for owners building to exit. Sent to a small list of founders, owners, and advisors. By invitation.

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