Beaufort chairman Goldthorpe criticises consolidator model

The Beaufort Group chairman said he has not seen evidence of consolidators making "a good job of acquiring and integrating firms". "You see it in the way management disappears," he said. "Not necessarily immediately, but you do see it." While he noted Beaufort Group did acquire firms in some cases, he said the group preferred to partner with advisers by loaning them cash or equities, or taking a stake in the business. He said this was a cheaper way of creating links with firms and growing, pointing out it could cost around £1.5m to acquire a business, as opposed to £250,000 to inve...