CogitalGroup acquires Wilkins Kennedy LLP
CogitalGroup, the international business services group focused on entrepreneurial and private businesses, is pleased to announce that Wilkins Kennedy LLP has joined CogitalGroup’s UK regional business, Baldwins.
Wilkins Kennedy LLP, is a UK top 20 business services firm, with over 700 employees and partners and an annual turnover in excess of £54m. The firm has 18 offices across London and the South East and is one of the largest practices in the home counties.
Highlights:
• CogitalGroup’s largest acquisition since the initial launch, providing significant expansion in London and the South East for its UK regional business.
• Underpinned by strong organic growth, following completion of the transaction, CogitalGroup will have annualised revenue approaching £500m, with 50% in the UK and 50% in the Nordic countries.
• CogitalGroup will now serve 70,000 clients and employ 6000 people operating from 170 offices, including in the UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, with technology and support centres in Romania and Lithuania.
• William Payne, Wilkins Kennedy’s senior partner, will become a regional managing director with responsibility for the South Region within the UK business, and will join the board of Baldwin Holdings.
• Baldwins’ South region will operate as Wilkins Kennedy: a CogitalGroup Company.
Wilkins Kennedy’s inclusion within the CogitalGroup is the latest in a series of acquisitions since CogitalGroup’s launch in December 2016. This further expansion comes as the group completes the first full year of its five year plan, which will see it become a leading, technology driven, international business services group focused on entrepreneurial and private businesses.
John Connolly, executive chairman, commented:
“On behalf of everyone within Cogital, I am delighted to welcome our new colleagues from Wilkins Kennedy into our Group. This development represents a further significant step forward for CogitalGroup as we complete the first year of our five year plan to build a leading, technology driven, international business services group. Wilkins Kennedy is a highly regarded firm with a strong position in the entrepreneurial and private company market, which is the significant market segment where we focus.“
John Baldwin, founder of Baldwins and CEO of Cogital UK Regional Division said:
“We are very excited to welcome Wilkins Kennedy into our group. Our increased scale and market focus, supported by the broader CogitalGroup, gives us a great platform to deliver to our clients. First and foremost, CogitalGroup is about client service and we know that there is a great fit in this regard with our new colleagues from Wilkins Kennedy. We are extremely optimistic about our competitive advantage, which is underpinned by the quality of service that our motivated and highly talented team are better placed than ever to deliver.“
William Payne, senior partner of Wilkins Kennedy, said:
“We are delighted to be joining the CogitalGroup at this key milestone in their growth story and to be representing the business across the South of England. We have a shared vision for the quality of service we can offer our clients, across both accounting and broader business services. The CogitalGroup offers us a superb platform from which to continue to support our clients and provide terrific opportunities for our talented people as we continue our growth story.“