Birketts has advised recruitment consultancy firm Totum on its strategic transition to an employee ownership trust (EOT) in a move that will empower its people and secure its long-term vision.
The firm provided comprehensive legal guidance on structure, extending its experience to enable Totum to navigate the complexities of the transaction. This ensured a seamless transition as its owners placed the business in the hands of the people who have helped to make it a success.
Totum specialises in leadership and business services roles for law and other professional services firms. The sale saw 100% of the company’s share capital sold into an EOT to benefit the company’s current and future employees.
Founders Tim Skipper, Deborah Gray and Gary Jones, who remain active in the business, described the EOT model as a natural extension of Totum’s people-first culture. They said it would also support long-term planning for the next generation of leaders, with responsibilities transferring gradually over time to ensure continuity for colleagues and clients.
Employee ownership is widely recognised for strengthening engagement and performance, helping businesses innovate and deliver better outcomes for clients. By adopting this model, Totum aims to protect the independence, culture and quality of service on which its clients rely.
Founder Tim Skipper said: “We were fortunate to be recommended to use Birketts by a fellow recruitment business owner who transitioned to an EOT two years ago. From start to finish, the team worked seamlessly on the transaction, bringing in extra expertise where needed but keeping the consistent main points of contact. The whole journey was one of super-efficiency, plus flexibility, good humour and gold-star service. We are delighted we used Birketts and will always be a strong advocate going forward.”
The Birketts team was led by Lisa Hayward (Partner, Head of Employee Incentives) and Laura Gray (Corporate), who were supported by Rebecca Hughes (Employment), Olivia Sherman (Employee Incentives) and Freya Palmer (Employee Incentives).
Lisa Hayward added: “It was an absolute pleasure to work with the Totum team from start to finish on their transition to employee ownership. Transitioning to employee ownership is such a powerful step and it speaks volumes about their commitment to their people and the future of their business. We firmly believe that the business will continue to thrive in this new chapter.”
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