Selling a business is not just a financial decision. For most owners, the harder question is who you hand it to.
Drumallan Group is led by Henry Middleton and his wife, Caitlin. We buy established UK businesses and own them for the long term, working alongside the people who already run them well. We are not a fund working to someone else’s timetable.
If you have built something you are proud of and want to know it will be in safe hands, we would be happy to talk.
About us
Who you would be talking to.
Henry spent the early part of his career as a British Army officer.
He then worked in international consultancy, eventually as Chief Operations Officer, leading teams, managing complex operations and taking responsibility for positive outcomes in complicated operating environments.
More recently he has worked with founders of UK small and medium-sized businesses on a business growth and leadership programme.
Henry has an MBA from Warwick Business School, where his research focused on entrepreneurship. More than any qualification, though, he would point to more than seventeen years of being accountable for people and results in organisations that could not afford to get it wrong.
He earns trust by genuinely caring for the people he works with. That has been true in every team he has led.
Henry and Caitlin own Drumallan Group together. We see the people already running a business as one of the main reasons to buy it. Our role is to be engaged, supportive owners: setting direction, backing the people who run things, and making sure each business has what it needs to keep doing well.
What we look for
A business worth building on, not just buying.
Established and profitable
A consistent trading record and healthy profits. Large enough to stand on its own feet.
A strong management team
Capable people who know the business and its customers, and who keep things running day to day.
Customers who come back
Repeat, contracted or long-standing relationships, whether with businesses, public bodies or both.
Something people rely on
A practical business, providing services or products that other organisations depend on. We are open on sector. What matters is a sound business with a good reputation.
What matters more than any of these is whether an owner feels they have built something worth being proud of. Those are the conversations we value most.
How we work
Straightforward, from the first conversation.
A conversation, nothing more
Getting in touch is not a commitment to anything. There is nothing to prepare and no need to involve anyone else at this stage. Most first conversations are a short phone call with Henry, simply a chance to introduce ourselves.
Everything is confidential
We will not discuss your business with anyone without your explicit say-so. That applies from the first contact and throughout anything that follows.
Your people matter to us
The people who run your business are a large part of what makes it worth buying. We agree with you how and when staff and customers hear about any change, and what your own role looks like during the handover.
Decisive, not rushed
There is no fund behind us with a deadline to meet, so we agree the timetable together. When a deal is right we move quickly, and we will always tell you plainly where things stand. If it is not the right fit, we will say so early rather than keep you waiting.
Questions
What owners usually ask us first.
How did you get my details?
We contact owners of established UK businesses using publicly available company information, such as the records held at Companies House, supplied through a business data provider. If you would rather not hear from us again, tell us and we will remove your details.
Is this confidential?
Yes. We will not tell anyone that we have spoken, including your staff, customers or competitors. If talks go further, we are happy to sign a confidentiality agreement before you share anything sensitive.
Are you a fund or a private equity firm?
No. Drumallan Group is privately owned and led by Henry and Caitlin. We are not a fund, and we do not answer to one.
What would happen to my team?
We see the people already running a business as one of the main reasons to buy it. Every business is different, so we talk this through with you early, and we agree with you how and when staff hear about any change.
Which kinds of business are you interested in?
We are open on sector. We look for established, profitable businesses with a strong management team, customers who come back, and a good reputation in the markets they serve.
What happens after a first conversation?
If it looks like a good fit for both sides, the next step is usually a face-to-face meeting. From there we will be clear about what we would need to understand and how we would approach it. If it is not the right fit, we will say so.
Get in touch
We would be glad to hear from you.
If you are thinking about the future of your business, at whatever stage that thinking is at, a short conversation costs nothing.
Henry reads and replies to every message himself, usually the same working day.