About Us

Whitecap Consulting was set-up in May 2012 to target a gap in the regional professional advisory market. The company’s founder, Richard Coates, identified that growing SMEs and mid-sized organisations were poorly served by practical, accessible and affordable strategic advice and support.

Larger firms and corporates will likely to go to one of the ‘Big 4’ or to an established London strategy consultancy for strategic support. Small firms may go to a ‘one-man-band’, executive coach, or NED for support and advice. All are good at their respective roles and satisfy a client requirement.

However, growing SMEs, established mid-sized organisations and divisions of corporates may not have the need for or fee appetite of a Big 4 firm, but may need something more substantive than an individual is able to offer on their own. There are several boutique strategy firms in London, but very few located in the regions; where most businesses are based.

CEOs, MDs and Owner Operators in mid-sized organisations are understandably focused on driving the organisation’s performance and effectiveness. Critical issues such as customer acquisition, financial and funding management, technology development and investment, people and culture dominate much of their time. Periodically, organisations benefit from independent strategic and commercial review to support P&L performance, growth ambitions, vision and purpose, and valuation enhancement.

Whitecap focuses on this mid-market and works with leaders, boards and investors in organisations across multiple market sectors helping clients analyse, develop and implement growth strategies. This can include long-term business strategy and planning, market entry and market development, driving business performance, customer marketing strategy, digital transformation, innovation strategies and commercial due diligence.

We work hard to understand the clients’ requirements and ambitions, and ensure clarity about the ‘exam question’ to be addressed as well as the decision making criteria, taking into account current performance, market and competitor context, growth and risk appetite and resource availability.

In addition to focusing on the strategic challenge and potential options, underpinned with evidence and analysis, we also facilitate executive and board engagement across a range of perspectives within the client organisation and help achieve alignment for the strategy decision being made and the critoacl next steps to successful implementation.

Whitecap has always had an ambition to grow and expand beyond its Leeds home and in April 2017, we expanded by opening two new offices in Manchester and Milton Keynes and appointing three new full-time directors. In September 2018, we opened two new satellite offices in Newcastle and Bristol and a further satellite office was opened in Birmingham in 2019.

Watch our film and find out how we deliver Commercial Clarity

Working across multiple market sectors

Whitecap works with clients across a range of sectors including Financial Services, Technology, FinTech, Outsourcing, Consumer and Retail, Property, Healthcare, Higher Education and Professional Services, including Corporate Finance and PE.

Read More

FinTech North

FinTech North supports and helps to grow the FinTech community in the North of England by hosting high quality events and connecting all parts of the FinTech ecosystem to create jobs, growth and attract investment.

Read More

FinTech West

FinTech West is the representative body for FinTech in the South West and part of the FinTech National Network. It operates a community open to anyone interested in FinTech and, as such, has built up a large and diverse group consisting of over 3,000 people.

Read more

LegalTech in Leeds

LegalTech in Leeds is an initiative established and co-ordinated by Whitecap Consulting, with the overall aim of bringing the legal and tech sectors together to encourage and facilitate collaboration

Read more