Specialist M&A advisory practice Evolve Corporate Finance has appointed a new partner to lead its expansion in the East Midlands.
Richard Ellis joins Evolve as a partner following almost 12 years at Clearwater, during which time he advised on a range of high-profile and complex M&A transactions. He brings experience of working with owner-managers and private equity investors, alongside deep expertise in high-growth sectors, such as technology, business services, and healthcare. Before his role at Clearwater, Ellis qualified as a chartered accountant with BDO.
He will lead Evolve’s growth plans across the East Midlands region, in addition to supporting the wider Evolve team on sell-side and buy-side transactions nationally.
“I’m thrilled to be joining the team at Evolve and to help drive the growth of the firm at an exciting time in their journey,” said Ellis. “Evolve has built an excellent reputation in the market – and I’m proud and excited to be joining such a great team.
“The East Midlands is a region that consistently punches above its weight delivering significant M&A activity, and I’m looking forward to working with the local professional and business community in my new role to drive further activity in the region.”
The appointment is the latest move in Evolve’s growth, following the promotion of Tom Hammond to partner and the firm’s move to new head office premises on Temple Row, Birmingham in 2025.
Partner David Neate said: “Richard’s appointment marks another significant step for us as a business and reaffirms our commitment to supporting the Midlands region. He brings a wealth of experience to our team and an impressive track record for delivering deals.
“We’ve delivered consistent year-on-year growth despite challenging deal market conditions in 2025. The East Midlands represents our next major growth opportunity, and Richard is perfectly placed to lead that expansion.”