A London accountancy firm founded in 1855, with nine UK offices. It runs a four-year school leaver route to the ACA qualification and graduate trainee schemes.
Saffery is a partner-led firm of chartered accountants, tax and business advisers headquartered in London. Its services include accountancy, audit and assurance, personal and corporate tax, and corporate finance (helping owners buy, sell or fund businesses), with specialist teams for sectors such as film, TV and video games. Many of its clients are owner-managed businesses, families and individuals, and the firm describes itself as people-focused.
Joseph John Saffery started the practice in 1855, aged 21, in London's Guildhall chambers. He was on the first council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) in 1880 and later served as its president from 1889 to 1891. The firm stayed in the family for generations. In 1950 it had three partners, nine staff and a turnover of £32,000; by its 150th anniversary in 2005 it had 53 partners and 400 staff. It merged with Champness Cowper in 1982 to become Saffery Champness, opened a Guernsey office in 1977, joined the Nexia International network in 2007, became a limited liability partnership in 2017 and rebranded as Saffery LLP in September 2023. Darren Drake became managing partner in January 2026. Wikipedia reports about 1,391 employees. The firm's own history page lists offices or presence in the UK, Guernsey, Dublin, Geneva, Zurich, Dubai (a representative office) and the Cayman Islands, and a September 2026 news item says its trainees are spread across ten UK and Dublin offices.
We did not find a formal mission statement. Its history page says it upholds the values of excellence, integrity, collegiate and enthusiastic, and describes operating on a people-first basis. Its early careers page says "You're never a number at Saffery" and that the firm holds Great Place to Work certification (2025). Those are the firm's own claims.
Beyond core accountancy and audit, Saffery acts as a specialist adviser to the creative industries after acquiring RSM Tenon's film and TV unit in 2012, and it took over Grant Thornton Ireland's media and entertainment practice in 2019 when it opened in Dublin. It also offers trust and fiduciary services through its Cayman and Guernsey arms. Its international reach comes through Nexia, a network of independent firms.
For young people, Saffery's early careers page lists three routes. School leavers study towards the ACA, ICAS CA or ACCA over 3.5 to 4.5 years, or tax qualifications; the AAT stage takes about 1.5 years. Entry is at least 120 UCAS points from your top three A levels (or equivalent) and a grade B or 6 in GCSE maths and English. Graduates need a 2:1 in any subject. Summer internships and placements exist for students and can lead to a training contract. Benefits listed include a 35-hour week, 25 days' holiday and a profit-sharing plan; no salary is published. A September 2026 news item says the firm welcomed 144 new trainees for 2026/27 and 21 summer interns. A school leaver trainee describes an open-door policy, monthly catch-ups with a line manager and a six-a-side football team.
Website: www.saffery.com
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