HURST Corporate Finance appoints partner

Stockport-headquartered accountancy and business advisory firm HURST Corporate Finance has strengthened its corporate finance team with the appointment of James Fieldhouse as partner.

James joins from BDO, where he spent more than two decades advising entrepreneurs, businesses and private equity firms on mergers and acquisitions, disposals, management buyouts and fundraising.

He joined BDO in 2003, progressing through its deal advisory team to become a partner in its Manchester mergers and acquisitions practice.

His expertise spans mid-market transactions across sectors including technology, business services, manufacturing, media, consumer goods and healthcare.

At HURST Corporate Finance, James will support clients undertaking acquisitions, business sales and investment transactions, typically valued between £5 million and £50 million.

James said: “I’m delighted to be joining HURST Corporate Finance as a partner at such an exciting point in the firm’s development.

“I’ve long admired HURST’s reputation in the market, and in particular the quality of its people and the strong relationships it has built with clients and the wider business community.

“The opportunity to join the firm as it enters its next phase of development as part of the Dains Group was a particularly compelling one, combining the strength and heritage of HURST with significant opportunities for further growth.

“I’m looking forward to bringing my M&A experience to the team, with a particular focus on supporting clients across the business services and TMT sectors, while continuing to work across the broader market.

“I’m excited to play a part in HURST’s continued growth and to build on the firm’s success as we enter this next chapter.”

James’ appointment comes as HURST pursues ambitious expansion plans following its integration into the Dains Group earlier this year.

The firm is targeting £20 million in annual turnover by 2028, supported by recruitment, new service lines and investment in technology.

Part of a wider group operating from 30 locations across the UK and Ireland, HURST is also looking to expand its national client base and strengthen its specialist advisory capabilities.

Ben Bradley, head of HURST Corporate Finance, added: “James is a highly regarded M&A adviser and we are delighted to welcome him to our team.

“His extensive experience advising business owners, corporates and investors, combined with his strong network of relationships, will further strengthen our ability to support clients throughout the transaction process.

“His appointment gives us additional senior capacity and he is exactly the calibre of senior talent we want to attract as we enter our next phase of growth.”

Ben added: “We have a strong pipeline of live and prospective transactions, and continue to see solid demand from both trade buyers and private equity for high-quality businesses.

“One area where we expect to see continued activity is technical services and maintenance, including HVAC, M&E, fire safety, compliance, testing and inspection, as well as businesses serving the wider built environment and social housing sectors.

“These businesses benefit from resilient demand, recurring revenues and increasing regulatory requirements, and the North West has a large population of well-established owner-managed businesses operating in these markets.

“James also brings significant experience across business services, human capital and technology, media and telecoms, which are all areas where we see considerable opportunity.

“These sectors continue to attract both strategic and private equity investment, particularly where businesses have strong management teams, recurring or predictable revenues and clear opportunities for further growth.”

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