What Hakim Group does

Hakim Group (legal entity: HO2 Management Limited) is a UK-headquartered private company operating the largest network of independent opticians and audiologists in the UK and Ireland through a joint venture partnership model. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Darwen, Lancashire, the group partners with independent optometry and audiology practice owners who retain clinical and operational independence while Hakim Group provides centralized back-office functions including marketing, HR, payroll, finance, IT, operations, buying, legal, and dedicated practice mentorship. Revenue is generated through managed services fees from joint venture partners and retail sale of spectacles, contact lenses, hearing aids, and complementary products across the practice portfolio.

The company's core product surface extends beyond services into proprietary consumer goods, most notably the Equal Frame Range — a 35-piece exclusive optical collection launched in August 2022 at a £140 recommended retail price, available only to practices within the Hakim Group portfolio. Distribution is entirely direct via the JV practice network across the British Isles and the Republic of Ireland, with the company targeting practice owners seeking to monetize exit value, scale operations, or access central resources without surrendering clinical autonomy. Sales-led growth is executed through website inquiries, regional roadshows, SharkTank recruitment events, careers portals, and earned media.

Hakim Group is founder-led (CEO Dr. Imran Hakim) and has been recognized through multiple third-party awards, including Healthcare Business of the Year at the 27th Annual Growing Business Awards (2024), Sunday Times Best Places to Work (2024), and The Times Best Companies to Work For #1 (2018). The company claims 100% joint venture partner retention over the past decade with every partner returning a profit annually, supported by an organizational structure spanning a Chief Operating Officer, Chief People Officer, Chief Development Officer, and dedicated Heads of Buying, Communications, and Professional Advancement. No external funding rounds, PE/VC backing, or public listing are disclosed.

Name

Hakim Group

Legal name

HO2 Management Limited

Website

https://hakimgroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Hakim Group is a UK private company operating the largest family of independent opticians and audiologists across the UK and Ireland through a joint venture model, providing back-office support, central buying, and mentorship to partner practice owners who retain clinical independence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Darwen

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Optical and Ophthalmological Services: Provider of optical and ophthalmological services through a network of joint venture practices. Practices are owned either by the Hakim Group or jointly with local partners across the British Isles and Republic of Ireland.
2. Retail Sale of Products: Retail sale of spectacles, contact lenses, hearing aids and complimentary products through independent practice network.
3. Audiological Services: Provision of audiological services through joint venture model across the British Isles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hakim Group is the largest family of independent opticians and audiologists in the UK and Ireland, operating through a joint venture partnership model. The group provides optical, ophthalmological, and audiological services alongside the retail sale of spectacles, contact lenses, hearing aids, and complimentary products. Partner practices receive centralised back-office support including marketing, HR, payroll, finance, IT, operations, buying, legal services, and dedicated practice mentorship.

Product overview

Hakim Group operates as a joint venture partnership model for independent opticians and audiologists across the UK and Ireland. The company provides a support infrastructure including marketing, HR, payroll, finance, IT, operations, buying, legal teams, and dedicated practice mentors. Their core service offerings include optical, ophthalmological, and audiological services, along with retail sale of spectacles, contact lenses, hearing aids, and complimentary products. The company also offers an exclusive proprietary frame brand called 'Equal' available only to their partner practices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Equal Frame Range A 35-piece optical frame collection with 11 bespoke designs available in multiple colours. Available exclusively to independent practices within the Hakim Group portfolio, targeting younger patients (under 40s, core demographic aged 35 and under) with a recommended retail price of £140.
• Joint Venture Optical Practice Partnership Partnership offering for independent opticians and audiologists across the British Isles and Republic of Ireland. Practices are owned either by Hakim Group or jointly with local partners, providing optical, ophthalmological, and audiological services directly to patients while partner practices receive back-office support.
• Optical, Ophthalmological and Audiological Patient Services Clinical services provided to patients through the joint venture practice network, including eye examinations, ophthalmological services, and audiological services across the British Isles and Republic of Ireland.
• Retail Sale of Spectacles, Contact Lenses, Hearing Aids and Complimentary Products Retail sale of optical products, contact lenses, hearing aids, and complimentary products through the independent practice network across the UK and Ireland.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% partner retention over the past decade with profit returned each year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Optometry ScotlandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Optometry Scotland attended the inaugural Scottish SharkTank event held at Radisson Glasgow. Collaborated on ideas and networked with Hakim Group partners.
• Shine CoachingminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Lancashire-based Shine Coaching organisation for mental health support. Shine Coaching provides support to men dealing with stress, anger and conflict, often through group walks creating safe environments for mental health support.
• Bausch + LombminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Provided CPD content at Hakim Group regional roadshow events for practice development.
• OptosminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Provided CPD content at Hakim Group regional roadshow events for practice development.
• HoyaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Provided CPD content at Hakim Group regional roadshow events for practice development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Specsavers: Dominant UK/Ireland optical multiple operating company-owned and franchise stores at scale. The principal competitor Hakim's value proposition is positioned against; relevant for competitive benchmarking on pricing, marketing and recruitment.
• Vision Express: Large UK high-street optical chain owned by EssilorLuxottica. Comparable as an incumbent multiple exerting competitive pressure on the independent segment Hakim aggregates.
• Boots Opticians: Optical retail division of Boots (Walgreens Boots Alliance), one of the largest UK optical multiples. Comparable as a wide-portfolio incumbent competing in the same patient pool.

Emerging players

• Warby Parker: Direct-to-consumer eyewear brand that disrupted optical retail with vertical integration and private-label frames. Comparable as an alternative channel threatening the in-practice dispensing model Hakim's partner practices depend on.

Direct peers

• Scrivens Opticians: Established UK family opticians chain operating numerous high-street practices. Comparable multi-site independent optical retailer with audiology services and similar patient demographic.
• Bayfields Opticians: UK independent opticians group with multiple partner practices across regions. Closely comparable to Hakim in positioning as a network that retains clinical independence for optometrist-owners while providing shared services.
• Black & Lizars: Scotland-based independent opticians group with multiple regional practices. Direct comparable in geography, scale and focus on clinical-led independent optometry; recently transitioned under group ownership model.
• Leightons Opticians: UK-based independent-focused optical group operating a partnership/acquisition model across multiple regional practices. Direct comparable to Hakim Group in offering scaled back-office support to independent optometrists while preserving local branding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thehakimgroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheHakimGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hakim-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/thehakimgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Hakim Group