Regional accountancy group PKF Francis Clark has promoted Sam Phillips, the head of its transaction services team in Bristol, to partner.
The move, along with nine other newly promoted partners, takes the number of partners in the firm to 60, the most in its 104-year history. 
Sam, pictured, joined the firm in 2020 and heads its transaction services team, providing financial due diligence, bid support, vendor assist and sale and purchase agreement advisory services.
Having previously worked at Grant Thornton and EY, he has spent more than 10 years working in an advisory capacity, initially in restructuring before specialising in transaction support.
Sam’s recent experience includes advising on deals in a wide variety of sectors, including technology, media and telecoms, manufacturing, construction, food and beverage, and business support services.
Sam said: “I’m delighted to become a partner and look forward to contributing to the growth and direction of the firm, with a focus on our transactions business.
“We’re continuing to see growing demand for our services, with acquisitive corporates, private equity investors and alternative debt funders, as well as high street banks, all showing an appetite to do deals.”
He is also a member of PKF Francis Clark’s digital transformation team, helping to develop the use of data analytics and digital services to clients.
PKF Francis Clark managing partner Andrew Richards said: “Supporting colleagues to progress in their careers is an important part of our culture, so I’m proud to welcome a record number of new partners this year as the firm continues to grow.
“Our new partners and directors have all invested a lot of time and effort in their professional development to get to this point, and I look forward to them playing key roles in the ongoing success of the firm and our clients in the years to come.”
Since opening three years ago, PKF Francis Clark’s Bristol office on Victoria Street has grown rapidly and now has a team of around 50 people advising a wide range of clients.
It is one of the firm’s eight offices across the South West, which between them employ more than 800 members of staff – making PKF Francis Clark the largest independent chartered accountants in the region.
The firm recently ranked 33rd out of 87 large employers in this year’s prestigious list of the UK’s Best Workplace – the first time it had featured in the list after achieving Great Place to Work certification last September 2022.
Earlier this year it was also named as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces for Wellbeing.
