Succession Planning Services Companies in the UK: Providers Guide
AC
Acumon Chartered Accountants·19 min read
Choosing a succession planning partner is rarely just about filling future roles. It tends to shape how stable a business feels when leadership changes, how knowledge is passed on, and whether long-term plans actually hold together when key people step back.
Across the UK, there’s a fairly wide mix of firms offering succession planning support. Some come from a broader advisory or HR background, others focus more specifically on leadership continuity, ownership transition, or family business succession. The way they approach things can vary quite a bit - from structured talent pipelines to more informal, relationship-driven planning.
This guide brings together a selection of succession planning services companies operating in the UK. It is not a ranking. The aim is to give a clearer sense of who these firms are, the kinds of organisations they typically work with, and where their experience tends to sit, so it’s easier to decide what might actually fit your situation.
Acumon
Acumon is a UK-based firm of chartered accountants, auditors and advisors that provides succession planning support as part of its broader advisory and financial services offering. Founded in London, the firm works with businesses across the UK and internationally, combining accounting, tax and strategic advisory expertise in situations where ownership transition and leadership continuity need to be carefully managed.
The firm supports a wide range of organisations, from owner-managed businesses planning for exit or generational transition through to corporate groups where succession planning is tied to governance, shareholder structures and long-term financial strategy. In practice, succession planning work is often closely connected to tax structuring, business valuation and estate considerations, particularly where personal and business finances overlap.
Acumon’s succession planning work typically forms part of its Specialist Advisory services. This allows planning discussions to move beyond identifying successors and instead focus on how leadership changes affect business continuity, financial stability and stakeholder confidence. This is particularly relevant in situations involving family businesses, private ownership structures or companies preparing for sale or investment.
The firm’s experience across tax, audit, risk and governance also allows succession planning to be aligned with compliance requirements and reporting frameworks. For organisations operating across multiple jurisdictions or within group structures, this can include coordination of ownership changes, restructuring considerations and alignment with existing corporate governance processes.
Succession Planning Capabilities:
Acumon supports succession planning across different ownership structures and business stages.
This includes:
owner-managed businesses planning exit or leadership transition
family businesses preparing for generational succession
companies considering sale, investment or management buyouts
corporate groups aligning leadership succession with governance structures
businesses requiring integration of tax, valuation and succession strategies
Succession planning engagements are typically supported by advisory professionals working alongside tax and accounting specialists, ensuring financial and structural implications are considered together.
Advisory and Structural Support:
Succession planning at Acumon is often delivered alongside broader advisory services that support transition planning.
These include:
business valuation and financial assessment
tax planning related to ownership transfer and exit
corporate structuring and shareholder arrangements
risk management and governance alignment
estate and probate planning for business owners
This integrated approach allows succession planning to reflect both personal and corporate priorities, rather than being treated as a standalone exercise.
Core Services:
In addition to succession-focused advisory, Acumon provides services that commonly support transition planning.
These include:
succession planning services
tax advisory and compliance
business advisory and strategic support
risk and technology assurance
company secretarial and governance support
estate and probate planning
payroll and operational support
These services are often used in combination when organisations are preparing for leadership change, ownership transfer or long-term continuity planning.
Supporting Growing and Transitioning Organisations:
Many organisations begin formal succession planning during periods of change, rather than as part of long-term strategy. Acumon works with businesses that are:
planning owner exit or retirement
preparing for external investment or sale
transitioning leadership within family-owned structures
expanding and formalising governance frameworks
reviewing long-term continuity and risk exposure
Early planning can help align financial, operational and governance structures before transition events take place, reducing disruption and improving clarity for stakeholders.
Address: 1-2 Craven Road, Ealing, London, W5 2UA, UK
RSM UK
RSM works with family-owned businesses on succession planning as part of its wider advisory and consulting services. Their approach tends to focus on balancing business strategy with family priorities, which is often where succession planning becomes more complex. In practice, this means helping business owners think through how leadership transitions, ownership changes and long-term goals fit together rather than treating them as separate decisions.
They typically support businesses in setting out clear succession options, whether that involves passing ownership within the family, bringing in external investment, or planning for a full or partial exit. The work often includes aligning shareholder expectations, preparing the business for transition and looking at how funding, structure and timing affect the outcome. There is also a practical side to it - helping businesses navigate decisions that are not only financial but also personal, especially where family involvement is strong.
Key Highlights:
Focus on family businesses and ownership transition
Experience aligning business strategy with family objectives
Supports different succession routes including family transfer and exit
Involvement in shareholder planning and stakeholder alignment
Combines financial, strategic and personal considerations
Services:
family succession planning
strategic exit planning
private equity and funding advisory
shareholder and stakeholder planning
growth financing and restructuring support
Contact information:
Website: www.rsmuk.com
Phone: +44 (0)20 3201 8000
Address: 25 Farringdon Street, London, EC4A 4AB
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/rsm-uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/rsm.uk
Logros Advisory Partners
Logros Advisory Partners approach succession planning as a structured transition process rather than a one-off event. Their model combines corporate finance advisory with leadership coaching, which reflects the reality that business exits are often as much about people as they are about transactions. They tend to work closely with business owners to build a clear roadmap, covering both financial outcomes and what happens after the transition.
Their work often involves helping owners explore different succession routes, such as management buyouts, employee ownership structures or full and partial sales. Alongside that, they address common barriers that delay decision-making, whether that is uncertainty around valuation, difficulty letting go, or concerns about what comes next. The process usually includes planning beyond the exit itself, looking at personal goals, wealth considerations and how owners adjust once they step away from the business.
Key Highlights:
Combines corporate finance and leadership coaching
Focus on exit readiness and structured transition planning
Covers multiple succession routes including MBO and EOT
Addresses personal and emotional aspects of succession
Supports planning before and after business exit
Services:
succession strategy development
exit planning and transition support
management buyout and employee ownership advisory
business sale and merger planning
post-exit planning and personal transition support
Address: Suite 4, Wilmslow House, Grove Way, Wilmslow, SK9 5AG
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/logros-ltd
AAB
AAB supports family businesses with succession planning as part of a broader advisory relationship that usually spans tax, business strategy and personal wealth planning. Their work tends to reflect the reality that succession is rarely just about the business itself - it often involves family dynamics, long-term ownership goals and the need to balance different interests across generations.
They typically work with businesses throughout their lifecycle, from early-stage growth through to succession and eventual exit. Succession planning is often linked with trust structures, inheritance tax planning and wealth management, particularly where ownership sits within a family. Alongside the technical side, they also provide support in managing discussions between family members and helping align expectations, which can be just as important as the financial planning.
Key Highlights:
Long-term advisory relationships with family businesses
Integration of succession planning with tax and wealth structuring
Experience across different stages of business lifecycle
Focus on both business and family considerations
Support with managing family dynamics and decision-making
S&W approaches succession planning as part of broader advisory and consulting work, with a focus on helping businesses prepare for leadership change and maintain continuity over time. Their work usually centres on identifying key roles within an organisation and making sure there is a structured plan in place if those roles become vacant. This often involves assessing internal talent and building a pipeline of potential successors rather than reacting when change happens.
They tend to support businesses in putting practical steps around succession planning, such as mentoring, development planning and regular review of leadership readiness. The process is treated as ongoing rather than something done once, which reflects how businesses evolve. Alongside this, there is an emphasis on reducing disruption during transitions and making sure operations continue without unnecessary gaps or uncertainty.
Key Highlights:
Focus on leadership continuity and business stability
Emphasis on identifying and developing internal successors
Succession planning treated as an ongoing process
Supports mentoring and talent development structures
Addresses risks linked to leadership gaps
Services:
succession planning and implementation support
leadership development
mentoring programmes
talent identification
succession pipelines
organisational planning for key roles
ongoing review and adjustment of succession plans
Contact information:
Website: www.swgroup.com
Phone: +44 117 233 2200
Address: EQ Building, 111 Victoria Street, Bristol BS1 6AX
Twitter: x.com/S_W_Group
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/swgroupuk
Warrener Stewart
Warrener Stewart works with owner-managed businesses on succession planning, often as part of wider business planning and advisory support. Their approach usually starts with understanding the value of the business and how ownership might be transferred in a way that supports continuity. This tends to be practical and grounded, focusing on what the business is worth and what options are realistically available.
They also place some emphasis on internal succession, particularly where existing employees could step into more senior roles over time. This includes setting up incentive structures that encourage key staff to stay and take on responsibility. In many cases, succession planning is tied to long-term planning rather than a single event, with decisions shaped by both financial considerations and how the business has been built.
Key Highlights:
Focus on owner-managed businesses
Strong link between valuation and succession decisions
Supports internal succession through employee development
Involvement in ownership transfer and planning
Combines financial and practical aspects of transition
Nephos Group approaches succession planning from a combined business, tax and wealth perspective, working with both companies and families. Their work often focuses on structuring ownership and leadership transitions in a way that avoids disruption and reduces unnecessary tax exposure. This is particularly relevant where business and personal assets are closely connected.
They typically support clients in planning ahead of key events such as retirement or ownership transfer, rather than waiting until decisions become urgent. This includes reviewing existing ownership structures, planning how shares or assets will be transferred and making sure leadership changes are handled in a controlled way. The process tends to bring together legal, financial and practical considerations so that transitions are clearer and easier to manage over time.
Key Highlights:
Focus on ownership and leadership transition planning
Integration of tax and estate considerations
Supports both businesses and private clients
Emphasis on structured and phased transitions
Addresses risks linked to unplanned succession
Services:
ownership and share transfer planning
leadership transition planning
tax planning for succession
estate and wealth structuring
succession planning for family businesses and complex estates
Hallett Brown works with businesses and individuals on succession planning as part of broader financial and business advisory support. Their approach is generally structured around preparing both ownership and leadership transitions, with attention given to how the business will continue to operate once changes take place. This often starts with identifying successors and building a plan that reflects the long-term direction of the business.
They tend to support a range of clients, including family businesses and SMEs, where succession planning is closely tied to retirement planning or future growth decisions. The work usually combines financial, legal and strategic elements, including valuation, tax planning and formal agreements between stakeholders. There is also a practical focus on making sure transitions are documented properly and aligned with existing obligations.
Key Highlights:
Focus on structured ownership and leadership transition
Works with SMEs, family businesses and individual owners
Combines financial, legal and strategic planning
Supports both planned and unexpected transition scenarios
Finnies provide succession planning support as part of their wider accountancy and business advisory services. Their work in this area is generally focused on helping business owners prepare for ownership transfer while maintaining financial stability. This often includes looking at how control will pass on and how tax liabilities can be managed as part of the process.
They tend to work with businesses that are planning ahead for transition, whether that involves stepping away from day-to-day operations or preparing the business for sale. Succession planning is usually linked with other areas such as corporate finance and exit planning, which allows decisions to be considered in a broader business context rather than in isolation.
Key Highlights:
Succession planning linked with broader business advisory
Focus on ownership transfer and financial outcomes
Supports preparation for exit or transition
Involvement in tax and financial planning aspects
Works with businesses at different stages of development
Pierce supports succession planning through its corporate finance and business advisory work, usually focusing on how ownership will transfer and what route makes the most sense for the business. Their involvement often starts early, particularly in cases where there is no clear internal successor, and where options such as a management buyout or third-party sale need to be considered alongside family transition.
They tend to work with businesses that need to prepare for change over time rather than react to it. This includes assessing whether a management team is in place, identifying gaps, and helping shape the business so it is ready for transfer or sale. Succession planning here is closely tied to valuation and strategy, with attention given to how timing and preparation affect the eventual outcome.
Key Highlights:
Focus on ownership transfer and exit routes
Involvement in management buyouts and third-party sales
Links succession planning with valuation and business strategy
Supports early-stage planning where no successor is defined
Johnson Tidsall works with business owners on succession planning as part of wider advisory and tax support. Their approach is generally practical, focusing on helping owners step back from the business in a way that keeps operations stable. This often involves looking at different options, from selling the business to passing it on internally, and understanding what each route means in practice.
They tend to guide clients through the process step by step, starting with a review of the business and its readiness for transition. Alongside this, they consider how succession decisions affect tax planning, retirement and contractual arrangements. The aim is usually to reduce uncertainty and make sure the transition is manageable rather than rushed.
Page Kirk works with business owners on succession planning as part of their accountancy and tax advisory services, usually focusing on how ownership can be transferred in line with the owner’s long-term plans. Their involvement often centres on helping clients step back from the business in a structured way, whether that means passing it on to family members, selling to management, or preparing for a third-party sale.
They tend to approach succession planning as a process that needs to reflect both business value and personal priorities. This can include setting up trusts, introducing employee share schemes or preparing the business for sale so that value is not lost during transition. The work is often practical, with attention given to tax outcomes, timing and how different options affect both the business and the people involved.
Key Highlights:
Focus on ownership transfer aligned with personal goals
Supports family succession, management buyouts and sales
Involvement in tax structuring and trusts
Links succession planning with business valuation and preparation
Considers employee incentives as part of transition
WR Partners approach succession planning as part of wider financial and business planning, with a focus on helping businesses prepare for transition in a way that keeps things stable. Their work usually involves looking at different succession routes and helping owners understand what each option means in practice, whether that is passing the business on, involving employees, or planning a sale.
They tend to work with businesses that want a clearer structure around future ownership and leadership. This often includes aligning succession decisions with tax planning and long-term financial goals, while also considering how the transition will affect the business day to day. There is a steady, planning-led approach here, with an emphasis on reducing uncertainty rather than reacting late in the process.
Key Highlights:
Focus on structured and planned succession decisions
Covers family succession, employee ownership and exit routes
Links succession with tax and financial planning
Works with owner-managed and growing businesses
Emphasis on clarity around transition options
Services:
business succession planning
ownership transition planning
employee ownership and management transition advisory
Address: Belmont House, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, SY2 6LG
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wraccountants
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/wr-partners-uk
PM+M
PM+M support succession planning through their private client tax and business advisory work, usually focusing on aligning business decisions with personal financial goals. Their approach often starts with understanding the individual behind the business, including family considerations and long-term objectives, before shaping a plan that reflects both sides.
They typically help businesses prepare for different future scenarios, whether that involves succession within the business, a sale or other forms of transition. The work often includes tax planning and financial structuring, with the aim of making sure both business value and personal wealth are handled in a coordinated way. There is also a focus on preparation, making sure the business is ready before any transition takes place.
Key Highlights:
Focus on aligning business and personal objectives
Combines succession planning with tax advisory
Supports preparation for different transition scenarios
Evoke Management works with businesses on succession planning through their advisory and fractional finance support. Their approach usually focuses on preparing organisations for leadership and ownership change by combining financial oversight with practical planning. This often includes assessing current structures, identifying key roles and making sure there is a clear path for transition before any change becomes urgent.
They tend to be involved quite closely during the transition process itself, particularly where financial restructuring or operational changes are needed. Their use of part-time or fractional finance directors means they can support businesses in managing the financial side of succession while also helping with knowledge transfer and continuity. Succession planning here is treated as an ongoing process, with regular review as the business evolves.
Key Highlights:
Focus on leadership and ownership transition planning
Involvement of fractional finance directors in succession
Emphasis on financial management during transition
Supports internal, external and phased succession models
Ongoing monitoring and adjustment of succession plans
P Bates supports succession planning as part of their tax and business advisory services, usually focusing on helping business owners prepare for ownership transfer well in advance. Their work often involves looking at how shares, control and financial interests will move between individuals, whether within a family or to a management team.
They tend to approach succession planning by combining financial planning with practical business considerations. This can include valuation, funding arrangements and the introduction of new directors or partners. There is also a clear link with tax and estate planning, as decisions around succession often affect both business value and personal finances.
Key Highlights:
Focus on early-stage succession planning
Combines business and personal financial considerations
Involvement in share transfer and ownership structuring
Kudos Accountants approach succession planning as a longer-term process rather than a one-off decision. Their work usually focuses on helping business owners clarify what they want from the business and how they plan to step back, whether that involves selling, passing ownership to family or reducing involvement over time.
They tend to guide clients through defining their objectives and setting out the steps needed to reach them, including aligning expectations between owners, family members and other stakeholders. There is also a focus on preparation, making sure the business is ready before any transition takes place. This often includes thinking through different scenarios and building a plan that can adapt as circumstances change.
Key Highlights:
Treats succession planning as an ongoing process
Focus on aligning business and personal objectives
Supports different transition paths including sale and family transfer
Encourages early planning and scenario discussion
Acts as an independent advisor during decision-making
Choosing a succession planning provider is rarely a quick decision, and in most cases it shouldn’t be. Businesses usually come to this point at a moment where a lot is at stake - ownership, leadership, relationships, sometimes even family dynamics. Because of that, the way organisations approach the choice tends to be quite practical. They look at who understands their situation, who has worked with similar structures, and who can actually help them think through options rather than just present them.
What often becomes clear quite quickly is that not all firms approach succession planning in the same way. Some are more focused on tax and structuring, others lean towards leadership transition or exit strategy. For some businesses, especially family-owned ones, that difference matters more than it seems at first. It shapes how decisions are made and how smooth the transition will feel when it finally happens.
That is really where a guide like this becomes useful. Instead of treating providers as interchangeable, it gives a bit more context around how they work and where their strengths sit. It helps narrow things down, especially for businesses that are not entirely sure what type of support they actually need yet.
In the end, most organisations are not just choosing a service - they are choosing how they want that transition to unfold. Having a clearer view of the options, even at an early stage, tends to make that decision a lot less uncertain.
AC
Written by the Acumon team
Acumon is an ICAEW-registered firm of chartered accountants and registered auditors
based in London, with offices in Pitstone, Aylesbury and Bournemouth. Need advice on
anything covered here? Talk to us.
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