Sovereign Capital Partners is set to exit Affinia through a sale to RedBird Capital Partners, marking a significant realization for one of the United Kingdom’s fastest-growing accounting groups. The transaction remains subject to approval from the Financial Conduct Authority.
The deal represents Sovereign’s second exit from its fifth fund within a month, following the earlier sale of Knovia Group. Sovereign initially backed the off-market management buyout of LB Group in May 2023, identifying an opportunity to build a scaled, fully integrated national accountancy platform in a fragmented but attractive market.
A core component of the investment strategy centered on assembling a leadership team capable of rapid expansion. Darren Redmayne was appointed CEO alongside Robert Parker, Vanessa Emens, and Rob Harden. The executive team was supported by Non-Executive Chairman Martin Wassell and Non-Executive Director Richard Smith.
The business was rebranded as Affinia in November 2024 to reflect its national ambitions. Over a three-year period, the company expanded to more than 1,000 professionals across 19 offices and completed 16 bolt-on acquisitions. Its capabilities broadened across tax, audit, insolvency, and wealth management.
A major milestone came in January 2026 with the combination of select offices from UHY Hacker Young, creating a Top 25 UK accountancy firm with revenues exceeding £100 million. During Sovereign’s ownership, Affinia maintained organic revenue growth of approximately 15% annually, supported by cross-selling initiatives and cost synergies across acquired businesses. The firm also invested in technology infrastructure and strengthened governance and financial reporting systems.
Today, Affinia operates as a national accountancy platform with a diversified service offering, a collaborative model, and a growing market presence.
KEY QUOTES
“It has been a pleasure to work alongside Darren and the team on what has been an extraordinary journey. Together, we have grown Affinia from a highly respected regional firm into a national business with a strong culture, deep client relationships and a genuine sense of shared purpose. This outcome reflects the dedication of the entire Affinia team, and we are incredibly proud of what has been achieved.”
Alex Hay, Partner, Sovereign Capital Partners
“Affinia is extremely proud to be a business anchored in purpose – delivering for our clients, colleagues and the communities we serve. Thank you to the team at Sovereign Capital for their invaluable support in helping us build the fastest growing fully integrated accounting platform in the UK. Partnering with RedBird marks an exciting new chapter as we accelerate our growth strategy, deploy technology to enhance the client experience and make our platform even more appealing to future partner firms aligned with our vision.”
Darren Redmayne, CEO, Affinia
“The sale of Affinia is an outstanding outcome and a powerful demonstration of our Buy & Build strategy in action. In just three years, Darren and the team have transformed a strong regional practice into one of the UK’s most respected national accountancy firms, a remarkable achievement by any measure. This is the second exit for our fifth fund, and we remain proud of the consistent value we continue to deliver for our investors and portfolio companies alike. We wish everyone at Affinia every success in their next chapter.”
Dominic Dalli, Managing Partner, Sovereign Capital Partners
