FRP Advisory

Background

Created in June 2010, FRP Advisory was formed to undertake a management buyout of the Business Recovery Services division of Vantis. The firm did not provide a cash payment for the business, but agreed to absorb around £11m of Vantis’ debt. The group’s founders, Jeremy French and Geoff Rowley, used their initials to form the basis of the firm’s name: French Rowley Partners.

Currently, the firm has 551 team members and 78 partners nationwide, across 27 separate locations, including in Durham, Birmingham, St Albans and Preston.

FRP Advisory specialises financial services relating to forensics, corporate finance, debt, restructuring and pensions; offering a broad range of solutions across these areas for its clients. The firm’s client base includes small local enterprises, as well as multinational corporations. 

On its website, FRP Advisory describes its approach as being all about transparency. “Recognising a need for transparency in difficult situations is how FRP came about and it is integral to the solutions we provide. Every client always receives clear, honest and strategic advice.”

Financials 

FRP Advisory has reported that its FY23 revenues increased by 9% to £104.0m compared with £95.2m in 2022, during the 52-week period ended 30 April 2023.  Its adjusted underlying EBITDA also rose by 5% to £27m. 

Reported profit before tax also increased from £15.1m to £15.6m and the average revenue for each partner was £1.2m.

Commenting on the results, chief executive officer Geoff Rowley, said: “The group made strong progress in the financial year to 30 April 2023, with growth in the team, profits and dividends. A complementary business in Cyprus was acquired, the Financial Advisory pillar was launched in response to client demand and our Corporate Finance team were named ‘UK Corporate Finance House of the Year’ at the National Real Deals Private Equity Awards 2023. 

“Our Restructuring team continues to make progress in the nature of projects and depth of referral client base across all of our locations. Our Forensic services team has been very active on many confidential projects along with a number of high-profile mandates for listed businesses, for example WANdisco plc, Inland Homes plc and Braemar plc.”

Recent Coverage

FRP Advisory has announced that it has promoted seven of its staff to the position of partner.

The firm has promoted six people to partner within its Restructuring Advisory practice. 

These include Ben Stanyon (Orpington) and Luke Wilson (London), Victoria Crutchley (Leeds), Richard Bloomfield (Norwich), Julie Humphrey (Brentwood) and Simon Farr (Manchester).

Alongside this, Laura Dymott has also been promoted to partner in its London-based Forensic Services team.

The group also successfully advised private equity firm, Agathos Management LLP, on its investment in leading geospatial surveying company, Plowman Craven.

FRP’s debt advisory team, led by partner Tom Cox and senior manager Amit Bagga, were appointed as exclusive debt advisers to support Agathos with the sourcing of buyout financing for the transaction.

The team managed a competitive process, ultimately securing a financing solution with Virgin Money to support the immediate transaction, while also providing a runway for future growth.

FRP Advisory has advised HRM Holdings on its investment in Bayfield Vehicle Hire.

Bayfield is welcoming investment as it looks to more than double the size of its vehicle fleet in the next three years.

The deal will enable Bayfield to pursue further growth, with plans in place to expand its vehicle fleet by around 40% by 2025, and to have doubled it by 2027. 

FRP Corporate Finance has advised European supplier of cold temperature protective clothing Flexitog UK Ltd on a multi-million-pound deal that will see US firm RefrigiWear acquire a 100% stake in the business.

Led by partner Mark Naughton, associate director Freddie James and assistant manager Kush Kunwar, FRP’s Bristol team was appointed to provide sell-side advice to Flexitog after an initial approach from RefrigiWear. 

This involved leading negotiations on valuation as well as project managing the transaction through the due diligence and legal processes.

Recently, FRP also expanded its international reach following the acquisition of advisory and insolvency firm GWC.

GWC is headquartered in Douglas, Isle of Man and provides a broad range of advisory services to local and international clients. The acquisition is the eighth FRP has made since it listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in March 2020 and an important step on its strategic growth plan.

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