A Midlands accountancy firm has topped off a year of sustained growth and significant investment by climbing a prestigious set of industry rankings.
HB&O, which expanded its footprint earlier this year by opening an office in Birmingham, has climbed six places in the Accountancy Age Top 50+50 rankings for 2025.
The expansion into Birmingham, launch of new service lines and a growing Virtual Finance Office (VFO) team has helped HB&O to move up to 93rd in the rankings.
HB&O’s growth in 2025 has seen the firm create dedicated teams for Transaction Tax Services, Inheritance Tax and Trusts & Estates while a new partnership with Validera has enabled the business to strengthen its offering to the education sector.
The company’s Virtual Finance solution helps clients to keep their fingers firmly on the pulse of their business. Underpinned by a wealth of industry expertise, the VFO uses technology to provide real-time insights into commercial performance, freeing up clients to focus on other aspects of their business.
It’s the second time HB&O has featured in the Top 50+50 rankings, marking continued growth for the independent firm, which also has offices in Coventry and Leamington.
The company, which employs more than 100 people across its three offices, offers a wide range of services to businesses and individuals, including audit, tax, transaction tax services, payroll, business advisory services and VFO.
The league table from Accountancy Age, one of the leading trade media titles for the accountancy and finance sector, includes five other firms from DFK UK & Ireland, an association of accounting firms and their expert teams established in 1996 and chaired by Mark Ashfield, Managing Director at HB&O.
He said: “Climbing the Accountancy Age Top 50+50 rankings is a fantastic achievement for the business and testament to the exceptional work our staff deliver for clients every single day.
“This result really is the icing on the cake in what has been a landmark year for HB&O. Our expansion into Birmingham represented a major investment milestone that has enabled us to grow our presence across the West Midlands.
“In addition, we have launched a number of new service lines and partnerships and have steadily built our VFO offering. The future is incredibly bright for HB&O and we look forward to rising up the ranks further still in 2026.”




