Max Associates
Max Associates is a UK sport and leisure consultancy serving local authorities with strategic planning, procurement support, and feasibility studies. The firm delivers Sport England-compliant strategic outcomes planning, leisure contract procurement, and facility feasibility work for public sector clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Max Associates does
Max Associates is a UK-based specialist consultancy focused on sport, leisure and physical activity management for the public sector. Founded in 2001 by Mark Steward — who named the firm after his first-born son — and now led by Managing Director Lisa Forsyth following the founder's death in June 2023, the company operates from London with home-based flexible working for a senior team of approximately eight to ten named consultants.
The firm's service portfolio is built around three core offerings: Sport England-compliant Strategic Outcomes Planning Models (SOPMs) — 17 reports commissioned with a stated 100% success rate on EOI and Sport England ring-fenced funding — Leisure and Culture Services Procurement (over 30 projects completed), and Facility Strategies / feasibility studies (over 35 delivered). Adjacent services include Built Facilities Strategies for Local Plan reviews and borough- or region-wide Leisure Strategies. Underlying tooling comprises the Sport England SOPM framework, Assessing Needs and Opportunities Guidance (ANOG), and the Moving Communities monitoring and evaluation tool; partnerships with Active Insight, Leisure-net Solutions, Sport England's National Benchmarking Service, and the Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University supply supporting market intelligence.
Max Associates generates revenue through project-based professional services engagements, typically structured as multi-year contracts awarded via competitive procurement or direct commission from local authorities and councils. Its go-to-market is sales-led, built on industry reputation, referrals, and visibility at events such as UKREiiF and cCLOA. The customer base is concentrated in UK local authorities and councils, with secondary engagements supporting leisure operators (GLL, Everyone Active, Freedom Leisure, Parkwood Leisure) and private sector developers. The firm holds no external investment, remains privately owned under the legal entity Max Associates Holdings Limited, and has not pursued geographic expansion beyond the United Kingdom.
Max Associates firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Max Associates
- Legal name
- Max Associates Holdings Limited
- Website
- https://max-associates.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Max Associates is a UK sport and leisure consultancy serving local authorities with strategic planning, procurement support, and feasibility studies. The firm delivers Sport England-compliant strategic outcomes planning, leisure contract procurement, and facility feasibility work for public sector clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Max Associates industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sport and Leisure Management Consulting
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence) (MPAKAKAL)
Keywords
Where Max Associates is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Max Associates business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Strategic Consultancy Services: Project-based consultancy engagements providing strategic planning, feasibility studies, procurement support, and facility strategies to public sector clients (local authorities, councils) for sport and leisure services. Revenue generated through professional service fees for strategic advisory engagements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based consultancy engagements |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Max Associates product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Max Associates is a UK-based specialist consultancy that advises local authorities, leisure trusts, and operators on sport, leisure, and physical activity strategy, procurement, and facility planning. Its offerings include Strategic Outcomes Planning Models (SOPM), leisure and culture procurement support, leisure strategies, facility strategies, and built facilities strategy services.
Product overview
Max Associates operates as a specialist consultancy providing a unified portfolio of sport and leisure management services rather than a software product. The core offerings consist of Strategic Outcomes Planning Models (Sport England framework-compliant planning reports), Leisure and Culture Services Procurement (end-to-end procurement management for leisure contracts), Facility Strategies (feasibility studies and business planning for facility development), and Built Facilities Strategies (needs assessments for Local Plan development). These services are delivered as professional consultancy engagements to public sector clients including local authorities, councils, and government bodies across the UK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategic Outcomes Planning Models (SOPM)
Quantifiable outcome
- 17 SOPM reports commissioned with 100% EOI success rate for Sport England ring-fenced funding
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Max Associates
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Max Associates technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Max Associates partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- Sport EnglandcoreMax Associates is an accredited Sport England Strategic Framework partner company. Partnership involves delivering Sport England compliant Strategic Outcomes Planning Models, supporting Sport England's National Benchmarking Service, and participating in Moving Communities monitoring and evaluation tool development.
- Leisure-net SolutionscoreLong-standing partnership for community consultations and research. Partnered on Sport England Strategic Outcomes Planning Models, consumer attitudes surveys, and National Benchmarking Service support in partnership with Sport Industry Research Centre at Sheffield Hallam University.
- Active InsightcorePartnership for exclusive research and intelligence focusing on strategic outcomes planning, alternative management approaches and leisure procurement. Active Insight has delivered consumer attitudes research for Max Associates over four years.
- Alliance Leisure ServicesmajorKey delivery partner for leisure facility development projects. Alliance Leisure appoints Max Associates for feasibility studies and strategic planning on development projects including White Oak Leisure Centre, Chiltern Lifestyle Centre, and Batley Sports Centre.
- GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited)majorMajor leisure operator and community interest company. Max Associates supported GLL contract award for Reading Borough Council leisure centres and Crystal Palace National Sports Centre procurement.
- Everyone Active / SLMmajorLeisure operators appointed through procurement processes supported by Max Associates. Contracts include Chiltern District Council, East Herts Council, and White Oak Leisure Centre.
- Freedom LeisuremajorTrust operator appointed through Max Associates-supported procurement for Lichfield District Council and Ashford Borough Council (Tenterden Leisure Centre).
- Parkwood LeisuremajorLeisure operator appointed through Max Associates-supported procurement for South Holland District Council Castle Sports Complex.
- FMG Consulting LtdsupportingPartner for Outdoor Sports Strategy delivery on Harlow and Gilston Garden Town commission alongside Max Associates Built Facility Strategy.
- Saunders Boston ArchitectssupportingArchitecture partner supporting high-level Feasibility Study on Harlow and Gilston Garden Town commission alongside Max Associates.
- 4GlobalsupportingTechnology and data partner for consumer attitudes survey and wellness hub social return assessment in partnership with Max Associates.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Max Associates competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Local Partnerships: Local Partnerships is a joint venture between HM Treasury and the LGA providing consultancy and advisory services to local authorities in England. It is directly comparable as a UK public sector consultancy serving councils on strategy, procurement, and operational improvement, although its scope extends more broadly into public service transformation and local government asset/litigation work.
Broad incumbents
- Knight Frank: Knight Frank is a global property and real estate advisory with a dedicated leisure and public sector practice advising on valuation, development, and acquisition of leisure and community facilities. It is a broad incumbent peer that competes with Max Associates when councils bundle strategic leisure advisory with property mandates.
- BNP Paribas Real Estate UK: BNP Paribas Real Estate UK (incorporating the former Strutt & Parker business) operates a leisure and public sector property advisory practice serving UK local authorities on facility valuation, development, and asset strategy. It overlaps with Max Associates when councils seek combined strategic and property advice on community leisure assets.
- KPMG UK: KPMG UK's Public Sector and Local Government practice provides strategy, procurement, and operational advisory to UK councils, including leisure, sport, and community services. It is comparable as a broad incumbent that may pitch for the same framework or one-off leisure advisory mandates as Max Associates.
- Savills: Savills is a global real estate advisory with a UK leisure and public sector team advising councils and operators on facilities, valuation, and development strategies. It is comparable as a broad incumbent that competes for council leisure advisory mandates, particularly when portfolio reviews tie into wider estate strategy.
- Crowe UK LLP: Crowe UK is a mid-tier accounting and advisory firm serving UK local authorities and public sector bodies on procurement, governance, and transformation. It is comparable to Max Associates in the broader UK public sector consulting space where council advisory mandates are tendered on multi-disciplinary frameworks.
- CBRE: CBRE is a global real estate services firm with a UK advisory practice covering leisure, hospitality, and public sector mandates. It is a broad incumbent comparable to Max Associates on large council leisure facility development or portfolio rationalisation projects.
- PwC UK: PwC UK's Public Sector practice advises UK local authorities and government bodies on strategy, procurement, and operational improvement. It is a broad incumbent peer that could be invited to compete with Max Associates on council strategic leisure mandates, especially when bundled into broader transformation panels.
Others
- 4Global: 4Global is a UK sport and leisure data, analytics, and consulting firm and a confirmed Max Associates technology/data partner. It is comparable as an adjacent player operating in the same UK sport, leisure, and physical activity sector with overlapping client base and data inputs.
- Active Insight: Active Insight is a research and intelligence firm focused on the UK sport, leisure, and physical activity sector that has delivered consumer attitudes research for Max Associates over four years. It is a thematically related firm operating in the same niche with overlapping data inputs and clients.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Max Associates social profiles
Digital presenceMax Associates compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Max Associates financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Max Associates leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Max Associates funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Max Associates M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Max Associates
What does Max Associates do?
Max Associates is a UK-based specialist consultancy that advises local authorities, leisure trusts, and operators on sport, leisure, and physical activity strategy, procurement, and facility planning. Its offerings include Strategic Outcomes Planning Models (SOPM), leisure and culture procurement support, leisure strategies, facility strategies, and built facilities strategy services.
Is Max Associates a public or private company?
Max Associates is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Max Associates founded?
Max Associates was founded in 2001. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Max Associates based?
Max Associates is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Max Associates make money?
One revenue line is on record: strategic Consultancy Services.
Who are Max Associates's main competitors?
Local Partnerships is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are Knight Frank, BNP Paribas Real Estate UK, KPMG UK, Savills, Crowe UK LLP, CBRE and PwC UK. Others are 4Global and Active Insight.
Does Max Associates have an API?
No public API is recorded for Max Associates.
What industry is Max Associates in?
Max Associates's product category is Sport and Leisure Management Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAKAL, Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence). Its SIC code is 8742.