Business advisory firm Saffery has announced a trio of senior appointments in its UK team. Hayley Brightmore-Cox has been named as head of transaction services, while Jake Stanmore and Harry Kendall have also been promoted to partner.
Founded in 1855 by Joseph John Saffery, Saffery works as an advisor to individuals and businesses across a range of sectors, providing market-leading accountancy, audit, business advisory, tax and VAT services.
Hayley Brightmore-Cox is based in the firm’s Manchester office, and boasts an extensive experience as a due diligence specialist, having advised on a broad range of transaction support and business advisory assignments. Her advisory knowledge spans owner-managed businesses with deal values between £2 million and £50 million, as well as listed entities and larger corporates generating revenues exceeding £500 million.
Saffery’s Transaction Services team operates across the firm’s nationwide network of offices – with a large presence in the North West, South West and London – working closely with the firm’s specialist tax experts. As head of transaction services, she will lead the team in guiding clients through the full lifecycle of corporate transactions, delivering comprehensive due diligence alongside commercially focused strategic insights. The team’s services include vendor due diligence, vendor assistance, buy‑side due diligence and associated support such as carve‑out services, net working capital analysis, locked-box mechanisms, and completion accounts reviews.
Speaking on her appointment, Brightmore-Cox added, “I am thrilled to be leading the team from the firm’s Manchester office, at the heart of the city where many of the country’s fastest-growing businesses are based. We continue to see strong deal activity across the region, particularly on the sell-side, and with macro-economic risks heightened, vendors are more focused than ever on being fully prepared for a process. Our team excels at providing reassurance and peace of mind, guiding clients through the most complex and high-value transactions with confidence and expertise.”
Jake Stanmore takes on the role of partner in the film, TV and video games team. Based in the firm’s London office, he has extensive experience advising clients ranging from independent film and TV production companies to major US studios, including some of the largest productions made in the UK.
Stanmore joined Saffery in 2016 from a Big Four firm, and has since advised clients in all aspects of statutory reporting and financing, with specific expertise in accessing the creative sector incentives. His portfolio of clients also includes commissioning producers, rights holders, video game developers and other corporate entities.
Harry Kendall meanwhile has been promoted to partner in Edinburgh, where he advises a broad range of clients in the corporate sector, as well as landed estates and not‑for‑profits. He joined the firm as a trainee in London in 2016 and moved to Edinburgh four years ago, where he works closely with boards and senior management teams, supporting organisations on governance, financial reporting and audit quality in increasingly complex and regulated environments.
Kendall serves on the leadership team of the firm’s audit efficiency group, helping to enhance audit quality across the firm, and is also a member of the firm’s national real estate practice, and not‑for‑profit practice groups.
Darren Drake, managing partner at Saffery, commented, “Our new partners reflect the strength and depth of talent across our firm. Their promotions are well deserved and recognise not only their technical expertise, but also the leadership and integrity they bring to our teams and clients. I am delighted to welcome them to the partnership and look forward to their continued contribution to the firm’s success.”
The promotions are the latest in a series of announcements reflecting the firm’s continued investment in talent, following the hire earlier this year of Steve Preston as a partner in the audit team and Alastair Loasby as Director of Sustainability and ESG. Drake himself was also recently promoted. Having joined Saffery in 2012, following the firm’s acquisition of the film and TV team from RSM Tenon, as of 2026, he has taken up the role of managing partner, having been selected to succeed Matthew Burton in the autumn.
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