Jim Keeling

Jim Keeling is the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive of Corbett Keeling, an independent London-based corporate finance firm he established in 1993 (roughly 30 years ago). By his own account, he set up the firm to give UK private-company owners advice on selling their businesses, raising finance and making acquisitions in the same spirit he had seen his father and grandfather practise — "as a friend, with honesty and integrity" — deliberately positioning the firm away from the conflicts of interest he associated with large investment banks and accountancy firms.

Keeling graduated in Physics from Oxford University before qualifying as a chartered accountant with KPMG. He has since become a prominent figure in the UK corporate finance community: he is a past Chairman of the ICAEW Corporate Finance Faculty, the largest trade body worldwide for corporate financiers with over 7,000 members, and served as an Alternate member of the UK's Takeover Panel.

Internationally, Keeling is a past President of Globalscope, the global family of independent M&A advisers, and Corbett Keeling remains its UK member, giving the firm access to trade and financial buyers across dozens of countries. He continues to lead Corbett Keeling's sector teams and is frequently quoted in the trade press on private equity and the sale of privately-owned businesses. The firm is family-connected — Emma Keeling has served as its Chief Operating Officer since 2015.

It is worth flagging that Corbett Keeling operates as an M&A and capital-raising advisory practice rather than as an angel-investment vehicle. The "Angel Investors / Seed Round" labelling in the source stub is not borne out by public information: Keeling and his firm advise established, profitable companies and arrange third-party capital, rather than writing personal seed-stage cheques.

• Advisory, not principal investing: Corbett Keeling acts for company owners, sourcing and negotiating capital and buyers rather than deploying its own fund.
• The "3 Cs" framework: Keeling frames every deal around maximising cash received, certainty of completion, and chemistry between the seller and the buyer/investor.
• Deal range: Transactions typically valued between £10 million and £150 million for privately-owned UK companies.
• Capital types arranged: Development/growth capital, management buy-outs and buy-ins, acquisition finance and refinancing/restructuring — drawing on private equity, family offices, mezzanine debt providers and banks.
• Funder network: Relationships with 200+ UK equity, debt and mezzanine providers built over 30 years, including names such as Barclays, HSBC and Bridgepoint.
• Stated view on private equity: Keeling has publicly urged business sellers "not to discount private equity buyers," arguing that reputable PE firms let owners "realise capital from the business whilst staying involved financially and operationally," and that with the right adviser a seller can find a well-aligned buyer.
• Track record claims: The firm cites a ~90% deal-completion rate and an average ~40% uplift in sale value versus owners' initial expectations.