Ruth Percival is at the helm of one of UK’s fastest growing companies.
In just 18 months, built environment consultancy Contollo Group has grown to 230 staff and £35m turnover on the back of five acquisitions.
Percival is also married to legendary dealmaker Jonathan Boyers and co-host of the Dealmaker Uncut podcast.
In the latest episode of the Dealmaker Uncut podcast, she opened up about the highs and lows of her remarkable career.
Percival has enjoyed a 20-year career in M&A and made her name as a partner at BDO, where she had a track record for advising clients on exits and buy and build strategies.
She said: “I had an amazing career at BDO. It’s funny, at the time it didn’t seem a big deal but when I look back, I realise I was the first female M&A partner the firm had had and I don’t think there were many, if any in the north of the UK at the time.
“It was a different era. The track through for women in senior positions in professional services was hard. I’d like to think many of those challenges I faced don’t exist today.
Misogyny
“I really hope there is less misogyny today than there was then. However, most of the challenges are exactly the same.
“To succeed you need to win work. If you don’t play golf or have a passion for sport, it’s tough. You need to be doubly good at building trusted relationships within the professional environment.
“A culture of boozing doesn’t help women trying to get on at all either. Alcohol is generally not an ally for a woman trying to get on.
“My focus was really on selling businesses for entrepreneurs. I think you have to perform out of your skin to compete with an average male counterpart.”
Percival had a short spell at EA Technology before being appointed chief integration officer at Fishawack Group of Companies, where she ran a team of 150.
“The company has bought 17 businesses and 1,400 people across the UK and US,” she said. “My role was to integrate the businesses, operationally and commercially.”
However, Percival left following Fishawack’s acquisition by Bridgepoint.
“I was 49 and I’d spent 20+ years doing M&A and I just did not know what to do next,” she admitted.
Unemployable
“I thought I was unemployable. My friend, Oliver Dennis, who was the founder of Fishawack Health, asked me to work with him a few days a week which was a lifeline.
“We were looking for investment opportunities. It turned out they are quite hard to find. In the end we came up with two viable projects, one of which was Contollo, where I focussed most of my time.”
Percival quickly embarked on a buy and build strategy, acquiring five businesses.
The first two were cost and project management consultancy Abacus and a mechanical and electrical consultancy called TACE.
Percival added: “What I learned about integration at Fishawack, is that success depends on the leadership attitude.
“We are seeking leaders with a growth mindset, growth for themselves, their people and their clients.”
Contollo has been backed by private equity firm NorthEdge and Percival praised their support.
“Personally, I think your likely success lives or dies depending on the partner you’ve chosen,” she said.
“NorthEdge are consistent in the characteristics of their team, from top to bottom, so it makes it much easier. The chain of command is short.
“Most importantly their values and behaviour align with my own. They are straightforward and honest and still very commercial.
“Like me and my Contollo team, they are unashamedly ambitious for themselves and the portfolio.
“Once you’re in, you’re considered part of the family and you have all their considerable resources at your disposal.”
Percival said Contollo are hoping to do another five acquisitions in 2026 but stressed they had to be the right fit.
You can listen to the latest episode of Dealmaker Uncut podcast with Alvarez & Marsal here