Award-winning North West dealmaker Jonathan Boyers has announced he’s resigned from KPMG after more than 34 years.
The multiple award-winning dealmaker has been a fixture of the corporate finance world but has been put on gardening leave before starting his next role, although he hasn’t revealed details of his new job.
The 55-year-old has forged a reputation as one of the region’s hardest working advisors and last year helped oversee a ground-breaking joint venture that KPMG signed with Venture Capital (VC) advisory firm Acceleris.
KPMG Acceleris was created to deliver a range of fundraising and advisory services to entrepreneurs in the UK and internationally, with a particular focus on businesses in technology, life sciences and ESG-related sectors.
Boyers took to LinkedIn on Friday to explain his reasons for leaving and thank former colleagues and clients.
KPMG joins forces with Acceleris to fill early-stage funding gap
He wrote: “At 6am on Christmas Day, 2022, I sat down at my laptop and drafted my resignation letter from KPMG. After 34 years with the same firm I had decided that it was time to start a new challenge. I eventually resigned last week.
“Gardening leave happened sooner than I expected so I’m writing this to thank all the amazing KPMG colleagues and clients that I’ve had the honour to work alongside and on behalf of.
“Last year I announced that I was stepping down from my role leading KPMG’s UK Corporate Finance practice. I handed over the helm on October 1 after five years leading that business. Together as a team we grew the turnover of the UK corporate finance three-fold over five years and grew profitability by an order of magnitude.
“The business growth has been grounded on values of integrity and collaborative behaviour and a strong origination culture. When I handed over it had the largest forward order book it’s ever had.”
Reflecting on my career at KPMG he wrote: “I was in my early 20s when I first led the corporate finance team in Preston and I’ve been helping entrepreneurs, families and other stakeholders build and realise value for their businesses ever since.
“I was flattered that KPMG made me a vice chair of the firm in April but that role was likely to see me move away over time from the corporate finance market where I’ve spent all my career.
“All I’ve really ever done is advise on corporate finance deals and lead corporate finance teams and I’ve never lost the passion for deal-doing that I had on day one. So I’ve decided I want to carry on being a corporate finance advisor.
“There will be plenty of time to share details of what I’m doing next but for now I’d just like to once again thank my KPMG colleagues (past and present) and clients for their support and friendship over the years.
“Watch this space for details of my next role but until then I’d better find out how to use the lawnmower as my gardening leave has begun.”
The announcement sparked a flurry of responses in the deals sector.
David Foreman, managing director of Praetura Ventures, wrote: “Wow. Shall watch this space with interest….”