Unity Advisory launches in London with USD $300m backing

Warburg Pincus has announced a partnership with Marissa Thomas and Steve Varley to launch Unity Advisory, a new CFO advisory business based in London.

Unity Advisory will focus on providing services to private equity-backed and other upper mid-market companies, including support for business finance, finance operations, tax and compliance, deal readiness, and digital transformation. The firm is backed by an initial equity commitment of up to USD $300 million from Warburg Pincus, with significant additional investment from the founding team.

The new firm's services are structured around a partner-led model, aiming to deliver what it describes as high-touch, technology-driven support for chief financial officers. The company has indicated that it plans to invest significantly in artificial intelligence and automation to underpin client delivery from launch, with the intent of reducing constraints such as audit conflicts that are often faced by traditional service providers.

Marissa Thomas, previously Managing Partner at PwC UK, will serve as Chief Executive Officer. Steve Varley, who was UK&I Regional Managing Partner and Chair of EY UK, will be Chairman, and David Tapnack joins as Managing Partner. The core leadership team, alongside other initial hires, brings together experience from leading consultancies and the Big Four accounting firms.

The firm is headquartered in London, with plans for further geographical expansion. Recruitment is expected to be rapid, both through new hires and potential acquisitions, with a focus on bringing in experienced partners and specialists from across the sector.

"We believe there is a more effective way to serve CFOs, and our extensive market research supports this belief. Clients desire senior-level attention, strong technical and industry expertise and a firm that matches their pace. We have assembled a highly experienced team and are committed to building a leading business with strong support from a premier global private equity investor," said Marissa Thomas, CEO of Unity Advisory. 

Steve Varley, Chairman of Unity Advisory, said, "Unity Advisory offers clients greater choice in CFO services, reflecting a deep understanding of what clients want. Our goal is to create a next generation firm that is entrepreneurial in spirit and rigorous in execution. The business has launched with great momentum; we already have significant client interest which will fuel growth, and a strong recruitment pipeline of talented individuals seeking more variety, reward, and pace in their careers, with a path to Partnership based on an inclusive meritocracy."

Warburg Pincus has a background in investing in professional services, including previous investments in Evelyn Partners' professional services business and the launch of platforms such as McGill and Partners in insurance brokerage. The firm described the Unity Advisory investment as an extension of its strategy in this sector.

David Reis, Managing Director, and Rianne Schipper-Kogel, Principal at Warburg Pincus, commented: "We are thrilled to support Marissa, Steve, David and the broader team in the creation of Unity Advisory. Based on our sector experience, we believe the Company will offer a highly distinctive proposition to CFOs and be uniquely positioned to capitalize on what we believe is a substantial market opportunity."

Unity Advisory's leadership team brings together substantial industry experience. Marissa Thomas has worked as a partner at PwC for over two decades, most recently as Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer. In addition to her role at Unity Advisory, she holds a non-executive directorship at ECIT, a professional and technology services company. Steve Varley joined EY in 2005, was UK&I Regional Managing Partner and UK Chair for nine years, and most recently served as Global Vice-Chair Sustainability before departing the firm. He also chairs DWF Group, a global law firm. David Tapnack was a partner at PwC for sixteen years, founding the tech-enabled CFO Office and serving in roles including Head of Commercial and Chief People Officer for Transaction Services. He brings two decades of experience advising private equity clients.

Unity Advisory intends to use advanced technologies, including AI, as a central element of its client service operations. The firm is aiming to address what it identifies as a growing demand among CFOs for senior expertise combined with technology-enabled delivery, along with a work environment for professionals that offers career progression based on merit.