Completed sale
Whitcombe HR
Whitcombe HR has been acquired by Harwood HR Solutions, bringing together two HR consultancies focused on helping smaller organisations manage the people side of their businesses.
Founded in 2017 by Natalie Whitcombe, Whitcombe HR is an award-winning Kent-based consultancy that gives small businesses access to HR manager support when they need it, without requiring a full-time in-house appointment.
Natalie is MCIPD qualified and built the company around flexible, practical support for employers navigating everything from compliance and employment documentation to management training and day-to-day HR advice.
The company’s service model was a key part of its appeal. Whitcombe HR provides monthly retained packages, ad hoc project support, templates and policies, mental health support, HR software and tailored compliance products, helping employers respond to changing workplace requirements.
That product-led approach gave Whitcombe HR a point of difference in the market. Rather than operating solely as a traditional consultancy, the company developed tools that small employers could use to manage common HR challenges with greater confidence.
The Newbie Box also gained wider recognition, with Natalie winning Product Creator of the Year at the Digital Women Awards 2022.
Natalie brought Whitcombe HR to market as she looked to pursue business interests outside the company. Regional Commercial Director Simon Burns represented the opportunity, while Commercial Executive Helen Bainbridge handled the transaction and worked closely with Natalie throughout.
During the process, Knightsbridge focused on the strengths most likely to resonate with the right acquirer: Whitcombe HR’s specialist offering, established client relationships, productised support model, flexible structure and strong reputation among small business clients. That helped generate multiple offers before Harwood HR Solutions was selected as the preferred buyer.
Established in 2018 and led by Duncan Turner, Harwood HR Solutions is a Leicester-based HR consultancy supporting SMEs with outsourced HR, recruitment, training and development, and health and safety advice. Its focus on practical, tailored support made it a natural fit for Whitcombe HR, with both companies built around helping business owners manage employment matters with greater confidence.
The acquisition gives Harwood HR Solutions an established consultancy with a strong small-business focus, practical HR products and client relationships developed since Whitcombe HR’s early years. It also gives Whitcombe HR’s clients continuity under a buyer already active in the same specialist field.
Helen developed an excellent working relationship with Natalie during the sale, helping guide the transaction through to an outcome that met the client’s objectives and placed the company with a closely aligned acquirer.
The Knightsbridge team wishes Natalie every success with her next venture, and Harwood HR Solutions all the best as it takes Whitcombe HR forward.