What Shaw Gibbs does

Shaw Gibbs is a UK-based, top 35 accountancy and tax advisory practice serving approximately 7,000 businesses and private individuals across the UK and Ireland through 20 offices and a workforce of 747 people, including 70 Partners. The firm delivers a full-service professional offering spanning statutory and specialist audit (including grant audits for Innovate UK and Horizon Europe), corporate and personal tax advisory, accounts preparation, payroll, outsourcing, corporate finance (M&A advisory, due diligence, valuations), company secretarial, probate, VAT consultancy, and US tax compliance. Four sector-specialist teams (Healthcare, International, Property, Agricultural and Landed Estates) provide tailored expertise, while the December 2025 Reality HR acquisition added HR consulting, learning and development, executive coaching, and people management services to the portfolio.

The firm's technology backbone centres on Xero cloud accounting (Platinum Partner status), digital-first audit methodology, HMRC-compliant Making Tax Digital tooling, and standard web analytics infrastructure, with no proprietary AI or platform products disclosed. Revenue is generated through professional services billing including fixed-fee arrangements for standard compliance work (accounts, payroll, tax returns) and time-cost billing for advisory and complex projects, with international referrals and service delivery enabled through DFK International membership covering 430+ offices in 90+ countries.

Name

Shaw Gibbs

Legal name

Shaw Gibbs Limited

Website

https://shawgibbs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Shaw Gibbs is a top 35 UK accountancy and tax advisory practice delivering audit, tax, corporate finance, outsourcing, and HR services to approximately 7,000 entrepreneurial businesses and private individuals across 20 offices in the UK and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Summertown

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Audit & Assurance Services: Statutory audit, grant audits (Innovate UK, Horizon Europe), SRA audits for law firms, and specialist audits for healthcare, insurance brokers, manufacturing companies. Services include Independent Accountant's Reports for grant claims and audit work for UK subsidiaries of international groups.
2. Tax Advisory Services: Corporate tax, personal tax, property tax, VAT consultancy, trusts and estates, international tax, and US tax compliance services for businesses and individuals.
3. Accounting & Outsourcing: Accounts preparation, bookkeeping, payroll services, company secretarial, accounts software (Xero), and outsourced finance functions for SMEs and larger businesses.
4. HR Consulting & People Services: HR outsourcing, recruitment support, learning and development programmes, Insights Discovery, executive coaching, conflict resolution training, and absence management services through Reality HR.
5. R&D Tax Relief Advisory: Assistance with identifying eligible R&D expenditure and preparing claims for Research and Development tax credits and relief programmes.
6. Corporate Finance & Transaction Services: Lead advisory services including mergers and acquisitions, business disposals, management buy outs/ins, financial restructuring, finance raising, business valuations, and due diligence investigations.
7. Probate Services: Estate planning law, wills planning, trust and estate administration, and probate services regulated by ICAEW for non-contentious probate in England and Wales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Shaw Gibbs is a UK top-35 accountancy and tax advisory practice providing accountancy, audit, corporate tax, personal tax, corporate finance, payroll, outsourcing, company secretarial, probate, and HR consulting services to entrepreneurial businesses and private individuals across the UK and Ireland. The firm operates a partner-led engagement model supported by four specialist sector teams (Agricultural & Landed Estates, Healthcare, International, Property) and is a Xero Platinum Partner with DFK International membership.

Product overview

Shaw Gibbs is a top 35 UK accountancy and business advisory practice operating as a multi-service firm with a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering spans accountancy, audit, tax advisory, corporate finance, and outsourcing services, supported by four specialist sector teams (Healthcare, International, Property, and Agricultural & Landed Estates). The portfolio includes specialized services such as Grant Audit for Innovate UK and Horizon Europe funding, Probate services, and HR consultancy through the acquired Reality HR brand. The firm serves entrepreneurial businesses and private individuals across the UK and Ireland, with a partner-led approach and membership in DFK International for global reach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounts Preparation Preparation of statutory and management accounts for entrepreneurial businesses and private individuals across the UK and Ireland.
• Audit Services Statutory audits, specialist audits (care homes, manufacturing, insurance brokers), grant audits for Innovate UK and Horizon Europe, SRA audits for law firms, and audits for UK subsidiaries of international groups.
• Corporate Tax Corporate tax planning, compliance, R&D tax relief claims and tax-efficient structuring advice for businesses.
• Personal Tax Income tax, inheritance tax, capital gains tax and trusts/estates tax services for private clients and high net worth individuals.
• Corporate Finance M&A advisory, business valuations, due diligence, management buy-outs/ins, financial restructuring and finance raising for businesses.
• Outsourcing

Quantifiable outcome

• Services approximately 7,000 businesses across the UK and Ireland
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Crowleys DFKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 January 2026Strategic partnership welcoming Crowleys DFK, one of Ireland's leading firms of accountants and business advisers, into the Shaw Gibbs Group. With 14 Partners and 131 employees operating over two offices in Dublin and Cork, serving clients for more than 50 years. Both firms are members of DFK International. The partnership includes investment from Apiary Capital for growth in learning & development, technology, and succession planning.
• Reality HRcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2025Reality HR, one of the UK's largest independent people management and learning and development consultancies, was acquired by Shaw Gibbs. The acquisition (11th since 2023) added over 21 CIPD-qualified professionals to the Group, enabling HR consulting, recruitment support, L&D programmes, and HR outsourcing services.
• DFK InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDFK International is a global alliance of accounting firms providing audit, tax and advisory services across over 430 offices in 90+ countries. Shaw Gibbs is an independent member, enabling international service delivery and referrals for clients with cross-border requirements.
• XerostrategicTechnology or IntegrationXero is a cloud accounting software platform. Shaw Gibbs holds Platinum Partner status, indicating high-volume implementation capability and expertise with Xero solutions for client accounting needs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BDO UK: BDO UK is a Top 5 international mid-tier accounting network offering audit, tax, and advisory services to mid-market and larger clients. While substantially larger than Shaw Gibbs, BDO competes for the upper end of Shaw Gibbs' mid-market mandates and cross-border work.

Direct peers

• Azets: Azets is a UK and Nordics-focused accountancy and advisory group that has pursued an aggressive buy-and-build strategy under private equity ownership (Hg Capital), closely mirroring Shaw Gibbs' Apiary Capital-backed consolidation model. Both firms are PE-sponsored Top 30-50 UK accountancy platforms targeting SME and mid-market clients with multi-service offerings.
• Kreston Reeves: Kreston Reeves is a Top 30 UK accountancy and advisory firm serving SMEs, owner-managed businesses, and private clients across the South East of England, directly competing with Shaw Gibbs in its heartland geographies. Both firms emphasize specialist sector teams and private client services.
• Crowe UK: Crowe UK is a mid-tier UK accountancy firm ranked in the Top 15-20, offering audit, tax, advisory, and outsourcing services to entrepreneurial and mid-market businesses. Crowe and Shaw Gibbs compete directly for SME and owner-managed business mandates, and both are members of international accounting alliances.
• Mazars UK: Mazars UK is a Top 10 international mid-tier accounting firm offering audit, tax, and advisory services to mid-market and larger clients. Mazars competes with Shaw Gibbs for audit, tax compliance, and corporate finance engagements, particularly in the South of England and for cross-border mandates via its international network.
• Bishop Fleming: Bishop Fleming is a Top 40 UK accountancy firm with a strong presence in the South West and Wales, providing audit, tax, and advisory services to SMEs, charities, and owner-managed businesses. It competes with Shaw Gibbs for SME audit and tax engagements across overlapping UK regional geographies.
• PKF Smith Cooper: PKF Smith Cooper is a Top 50 UK accountancy and advisory firm with offices across the Midlands, East, and London, offering audit, tax, and corporate finance services to SMEs and owner-managed businesses. The firm is a direct mid-tier competitor to Shaw Gibbs for SME audit and tax work.
• RSM UK: RSM UK is a Top 6 mid-tier accountancy and advisory firm serving mid-market businesses with audit, tax, and consulting services. RSM and Shaw Gibbs compete in the same mid-market audit and tax space, particularly for owner-managed businesses and groups requiring statutory audit.
• Moore Kingston Smith: Moore Kingston Smith is a Top 25 UK accountancy and advisory firm based in London with a strong SME, not-for-profit, and creative sectors focus. The firm competes with Shaw Gibbs for London/South East owner-managed business audit, tax, and outsourcing engagements.
• MHA MacIntyre Hudson: MHA is a Top 20 UK accountancy group operating through a network of regional member firms, providing audit, tax, and advisory services to SMEs and mid-market clients. MHA's regional federation model overlaps with Shaw Gibbs' multi-office UK platform and competing regional accountancy roll-ups.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shawgibbs
• Xx.com/shawgibbs

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shaw Gibbs