Brabners welcomes new Head of Corporate for next phase of team growth
We’re delighted to appoint Corporate Partner Ruth Hargreaves as our new Head of Corporate following a standout 12 months for the team.
Brabners welcomes new Head of Corporate for next phase of team growth
AuthorsRuth Hargreaves
3 min read
We’re delighted to appoint Corporate Partner Ruth Hargreaves as our new Head of Corporate following a standout 12 months for the team, during which we advised on more than £762m worth of deals.
Ruth succeeds Mark Rathbone in the role at a really exciting time for our 76-strong corporate team. She’ll lead the team as we continue to build on our sector-led investment and support our growing national platform.
In the 12 months from May 2025 to the end of April 2026, we advised on transactions with a combined value of £762.3m, up from £465.1m in the previous 12-month period.
A leadership journey shaped with us
Ruth trained with us before moving in-house as senior legal counsel at global technology company TomTom. She returned in 2017 as a Senior Associate and has now spent almost nine years with us, progressing to Partner during that time.
Her appointment comes during a period of wider momentum for the firm, including the opening of our new London office. For FY 2024 to 25, we reported annual revenues of £60.2m and pre-tax profits of £20.3m — marking an eighth consecutive year of profitable growth. We’ve also recently secured B Corp recertification and set out a roadmap to reach net zero by 2040.
Continuing to invest in our clients and sectors
Our corporate team continues to invest in specialist expertise across key markets and sectors, including private equity, technology, sport and tax. Recent strategic appointments include Tax Partner Euri Yoon — strengthening our ability to provide full-service support to clients across the lifecycle of a transaction — and Corporate Partner Stuart Hatcher, who joined to help to anchor our new London platform.
Quotes
Ruth Hargreaves, Head of Corporate, said: “It’s a privilege to take on the role of Head of Corporate at such an exciting point in the team’s development.
We’re operating in a challenging environment but there’s still capital in the market and a clear appetite among ambitious businesses and investors to pursue the right opportunities. We’re seeing signs of cautious optimism, with continued activity across private equity, owner-managed businesses and key sectors including technology, sport and healthcare. The issue for many now is confidence — having the conviction to invest or exit at the right time and with the right support around them.
In recent years, we’ve invested in the sectors and markets where we know we can make the greatest difference for clients and that approach has stood us in good stead. We’re able to continue to invest in our people, deepen our sector expertise and support all types of companies through every stage of their growth journey.”
Nik White, Managing Partner, added: “Ruth’s appointment is a landmark moment for us and our corporate team. She’s a trusted adviser to clients and a hugely respected colleague who embodies the culture and ambition of the firm. Her breadth of experience makes her exceptionally well placed to lead the team through its next phase of growth.
Our corporate team is one of the largest and most active in the north and Ruth’s leadership will ensure that we continue to build on its success while staying true to Brabners’ distinctive identity.”
Award‑winning corporate legal services
Our corporate team is recognised by Experian as one of the UK’s most active deal makers, ranked ‘Top Tier’ by The Legal 500 and commended in The Times Best Law Firms 2026 list. We offer the full spectrum of corporate legal support for business leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and shareholders, including governance, corporate tax advisory, business sales and exits and more.
Talk to us by emailing hello@brabners.com, calling 0333 004 4488 or filling in our contact form.
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