Auker Rhodes Leeds Merges with Hayward Wright Accountancy

Auker Rhodes Leeds merges with Hayward Wright as the Midlands accountancy group makes its first move outside its home region

Yeadon-based accountancy practice Auker Rhodes Leeds has merged with Midlands group Hayward Wright in a deal that marks the advisory firm’s first expansion outside the Midlands. Auker Rhodes was founded in 2010 by Grant Rudloff, Richard Kenyon, and Richard Doyle as an independent firm of chartered accountants and business advisers serving owner-managed businesses, SMEs, and individuals across Yorkshire. The Yeadon office will become Hayward Wright’s Leeds base, with Grant Rudloff continuing to lead the team full time. Richard Kenyon and Richard Doyle will remain in consulting roles supporting the office and its clients.

Why This Matters For Leeds

A Midlands accountancy group choosing Leeds as part of it’s expansion is a small but telling signal about where professional services firms see growth. It’s also part of a broader pattern of regional accountancy consolidation, with mid-sized groups acquiring independent practices to build scale. Read more Leeds business news across all sectors.

What the Auker Rhodes Leeds Merger Means

For Auker Rhodes’ clients, the merger gives access to Hayward Wright’s wider range of services; tax advice, strategy, payroll, and company secretarial as well as the group’s technology and operational infrastructure. For Hayward Wright, it provides a foothold in Yorkshire and a ready-made client base in the region.

The £20 million close is the start of a wider fundraise planned over 2026. Northern Gritstone operates as a permanent capital vehicle rather than a traditional fund with a fixed life, which means it can hold investments for longer and reinvest returns. CEO Duncan Johnson described the close as a strong start in a challenging fundraising environment, reflecting confidence in the innovation coming from the North of England

“We are delighted to be merging with Hayward Wright as we continue to develop and grow our practice here in Leeds. We have always been committed to providing exceptional service and advice to our clients, and this will not change. Merging with Hayward Wright and joining the wider group will only bring additional benefits to our clients and our team.”

— Grant Rudloff, Partner, Auker Rhodes

Hayward Wright’s Alistair Hayward-Wright said Leeds and the wider Yorkshire region were a deliberate strategic choice for the group’s first expansion outside the Midlands, describing Auker Rhodes as a strong fit built on long-term client relationships and service delivery. The Yeadon office gives Hayward Wright a presence in the Leeds city region alongside its existing Midlands network.

The Auker Rhodes merger fits a broader pattern in regional accountancy. Mid-sized groups are acquiring established independent practices to build scale. For independent practices, the merger provides access to wider services and infrastructure in exchange for becoming part of a larger group. Hayward Wright’s three acquisitions in the past year; Wharfside in Birmingham, Ansell Munden in Cannock, and now Auker Rhodes in Yeadon, suggests the firm is building a multi-regional platform with Yorkshire as its next growth market.