Azets in Bristol celebrates deal value of £1.3bn and partner addition

Accountancy and advisory group Azets has expanded its Bristol team with the addition of James Thomas as a partner in the corporate Ffnance team.
In 2024, the Azets’ Corporate Finance team completed 155 disclosed deals, with a deal value of £1.3bn.
Thomas has more than 25 years of advisory experience supporting high-growth technology-led businesses and has completed more than 100 transactions in that time.
He trained and qualified as a chartered accountant with Deloitte in Bristol before moving into corporate finance, working on a range of M&A and fundraising assignments for domestic and international clients. He most recently led the technology practice at HMT Corporate Finance for six years, working on a variety of high-growth early and development-stage funding deals as well as international merger and acquisition transactions, completing transactions from a wide network of domestic and international venture capital, corporate and private equity investors.
He said: “I am really excited to join Azets at an exciting time in its growth journey and to get back into the Bristol and South West region full-time. I look forward to catching up with my extensive network of professional colleagues in the region and to working with the very many exciting companies coming out of one of the most innovative and dynamic areas of the country.”
Lee Humble, head of corporate finance at Azets, added: “2024 was a landmark year for Azets’ Corporate Finance team, marked by award-winning achievements, strategic growth, and record-breaking deal activity. From securing prestigious industry accolades—including regional Partner, Katherine Broadhurst, being named on the global ‘Top 50 Women in Accounting’ list — to expanding our team with new talent and key promotions, we continue to strengthen our market leadership.
“Looking ahead, we are poised for continued growth, further strengthened by the addition of James Thomas as Partner, who brings significant experience to enhance our capabilities and drive even greater success for our clients.”