Affinia has strengthened its footprint in the South East with the addition of Richard Place Dobson, a long-established accountancy firm based in Crawley. The move marks another step in Affinia’s rapid expansion strategy as it seeks to build scale across the UK.
The deal brings together a fast-growing national platform with a regional firm that has served West Sussex businesses and charities for more than a century. Founded in 1908, Richard Place Dobson has built a strong reputation for its work across multiple sectors, with particular expertise in charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Affinia, which now employs more than 1,000 people across 18 offices, has positioned itself as a purpose-led and purpose-built firm. Its growth has been driven by a mix of acquisitions and organic expansion, supported by investment in people, technology and infrastructure.
The addition of Richard Place Dobson reflects a shared focus on culture and client relationships. Both firms emphasise a people-first approach and strong community engagement, factors that executives say were central to the deal.
Matthew Tyson, Managing Director at Richard Place Dobson, said:
“We are delighted to be joining Affinia. Having met many of the people that have made them so successful to date it was clear that there were many synergies. That includes how we value people – be they clients we serve, those that make up our fantastic team, and those that form the business community within which we operate. This link-up will allow us to continue to grow, to further develop our team by providing valuable opportunities, and to invest in the future in what is an ever more challenging and complex financial world.
RPD has always believed strongly in its charitable work. And it is so good to see that the work that the RPD Foundation does will be matched by that same philosophy at Affinia.”
The Crawley-based team will add further depth to Affinia’s capabilities, particularly in the charity and not-for-profit space. This is an area of increasing demand as organisations face tighter funding conditions and greater regulatory scrutiny.
Rob Harden, Chief Development Officer of Affinia, said:
“We’re delighted to welcome Richard Place Dobson to Affinia. With a shared approach to our people and clients, and with the team’s expertise in the charity and not-for-profit sectors, we will work together to further support our clients, colleagues and communities. The next step forward in our continued growth plans, this exciting combination supports our ambition to be the UK’s largest purpose-led, purpose-built accounting services firm in the UK”.
Affinia was formed in 2024 through the combination of seven firms across London, the South East and the East of England. Since then, it has continued to scale quickly, combining regional expertise with a broader national platform.
The firm offers a full range of services, including audit, tax, corporate finance and payroll, alongside outsourced and fractional finance teams. Its client base spans start-ups to established owner-managed businesses.
Recent industry recognition underlines its momentum. Affinia has been ranked 34th in Accountancy Age’s UK Top 50 + 50 and named among the UK’s leading SME apprenticeship employers.
With the latest acquisition, Affinia is signalling that consolidation in the mid-market accountancy sector is far from over. Firms with strong local roots but aligned values are likely to remain central to their growth plans.
