The Buzzacott Transaction Services team is delighted to have assisted Gravita, backed by private equity investor Tenzing, on its acquisition of the Haines Watts Bristol and Exeter Offices.

Overview of the deal

Gravita, the tech-enabled accountancy firm for small & medium enterprises (SMEs) has acquired Haines Watts Western. The addition of Haines Watts’ Bristol and Exeter offices adds to Gravita’s established presence across London, Oxford, and Essex. The partnership enables the Haines Watts team in the South-West to continue to offer services, supported by innovative technology, to its long-term client base in the region.

Who are the firms involved?

Gravita is in the top 30 accountancy firms for growth businesses. It embraces a series of tech-enabled approaches with expertise in listed markets to offer huge benefits for growth businesses – providing success to the wider UK economy.

Haines Watts Western was part of the wider Haines Watts group. Led by Matthew Bracher, the 95-strong team, supported around 2,500 clients, consisting of and businesses across the South West region. The firm has expertise in various sectors, including tech, property, renewable energy, legal services, and charitable organisations.

Highlights of the deal

This deal represents Gravita’s seventh acquisition since being backed by Tenzing in 2021. Buzzacott Corporate Finance has provided diligence and advised both Gravita and Tenzing over this period as part of their consolidation strategy. Having worked together on multiple transactions, the due diligence and transaction advisory services have been refined to provide a consistent and relevant product enabling clear decision making.

The transaction team was made up of James Wood and Stephen Byrne, overseen by Alex Judd. The tax due diligence team was made of Kazia Kruszewski and Florence Klein, led by Alastair McQuater. The VAT Consultancy team was led by Kam Chauhan.