Navigating business challenges
Andrew Haggard, Managing & Founding Partner of Haggards Crowther, explains how his firm helps businesses thrive in a competitive landscape
Introducing Andrew
Andrew Haggard, the managing and founding partner of accountancy and tax specialists Haggards Crowther, originally studied chemical engineering at Edinburgh University. He realised his true interests lay in finance and business when he found the most engaging module of his chemical engineering degree was about financing a chemical plant. This led him to explore accounting and business as a career path.
He started working for a firm in London, gained his professional qualifications, and later transitioned to a larger company. However, he soon discovered that life in a corporate environment wasn’t for him. An opportunity arose to go into business with his brother, initially considering running a brewery, but instead ultimately purchasing a pub, which they ran for 10 years. In the meantime, a friend in PR needed accounting help, so Andrew and his brother, also a qualified accountant, decided to take on the challenge. They built their accountancy business from the upstairs floor of the pub, eventually moving to a dedicated office space.
Alongside this, they did briefly run a brewery which evolved into a small-scale operation making specialist beers and shots. However, when faced with a steep rent increase, they decided not to scale up and instead moved away from brewing. Over time, they also left the pub behind and transitioned fully into accountancy. They went on to partner with tax specialist Peter Crowther, bringing in additional key technical expertise, while providing them with a strong commercial foundation.
Entrepreneurial clients have always been at the heart of Andrew’s work. Having gone through the challenges of running small businesses himself, he understands the unique struggles that start-ups and SMEs face. He has always preferred working closely with business owners rather than being lost in the machine of a large corporation.
Since starting in 2004, Haggards Crowther has grown significantly. It now handles around 1000 tax clients and 500 corporate clients, serving over 2000 entities and individuals. As the sole founding partner, Andrew’s passion remains working with small and medium-sized businesses, helping them navigate the complexities of finance and grow their enterprises.
Working with Sturgeon
Seonaid was originally a client of Peter Crowther and began working with Andrew when he joined forces with Peter. Seonaid has been a trailblazer in the industry, particularly in shaping the Appointed Representative structure which allows smaller firms to enter the financial services market under the oversight of an authorised firm. This model has lowered the barriers to entry, enabling emerging businesses to establish themselves without the significant costs associated with direct authorisation.
“We’ve worked closely with Seonaid over the years,” Andrew says. “Firms under Sturgeon Ventures’ regulatory umbrella benefit from her compliance and FCA support, while at Haggards we handle their financial compliance and outsourced accounting. Seonaid is always pushing boundaries. By developing innovative ways to support businesses, she has made financial services more accessible. Her work has been invaluable to firms that would otherwise struggle to navigate the regulatory landscape.”
Haggards Crowther has the expertise to set up the necessary corporate structures (limited companies or LLPs) to become Sturgeon’s Appointed Representative Firms (ARs), following FCA approval. Quarterly reporting is a key component of AR oversight, with ARs required to categorise income streams from different regulated / unregulated business activities. Haggards Crowther plays a vital role in ensuring accurate categorisation, preventing unnecessary regulatory fees, and maintaining compliance with FCA expectations. Haggards Crowther also supports ARs in forecasting their financial health, ensuring compliance with liquidity and capital requirements. This area of work is led by Andrew’s colleague, Chris Ropner.
While Chris Ropner primarily leads the financial compliance support for Sturgeon Ventures’ ARs, Andrew separately plays an active role in shaping the strategic direction, not just of its ARs, but of Sturgeon Ventures itself. He serves on Sturgeon Ventures’ Finance Committee, ensuring robust risk management and regulatory adherence. “We undertake a lot of work monitoring the Appointed Representatives and managing the risks associated with their operations,” Andrew notes. “This involves regular financial reviews and engagement with the FCA to ensure everything is in line with regulations.”
Additionally, Andrew sits on the Management Committee of Sturgeon Ventures, providing financial oversight and strategic input. His work in this regard is carefully separated from that of his colleague Chris Ropner’s focus on overseeing responsibilities related to the ARs, ensuring they meet financial and regulatory standards. “We’ve structured our approach carefully,” Andrew says. “We maintain clear divisions of responsibility to ensure compliance while supporting our clients’ growth. Our goal has always been to provide the financial and regulatory support businesses need to succeed. By working together, we’ve created a framework that helps businesses navigate challenges and thrive in a competitive landscape.”
The role of Haggards Crowther (Haggards) is crucial in ensuring financial compliance, regulatory reporting, and financial management for ARs operating under Sturgeon’s umbrella. Haggards key responsibilities include:
- Company Formation & Structuring – Haggards helps to set up limited companies or LLPs to be submitted to become Appointed Representatives, supporting the preparations for the necessary initial FCA application.
- Regulatory Reporting – Haggards prepares quarterly reports for the FCA, detailing income from both regulated and unregulated activities. This ensures compliance and helps the FCA assess financial stability.
- Income Categorisation & Fee Calculation – Haggards ensures that all income (both ARs and direct Sturgeon income) is correctly categorised (e.g., investment advisory, investment management, corporate finance, unregulated), preventing misclassification that could result in incorrect FCA fees.
- Liquidity & Capital Requirement Monitoring – Haggards assesses whether ARs have the necessary liquidity and capital reserves (typically three months of fixed overheads) to meet FCA requirements, ensuring financial stability.
- Financial Forecasting & Risk Assessment – Haggards supports financial planning by analysing future income, costs, and expansion plans, helping ARs maintain sufficient capital buffers.
- Collaboration with Sturgeon & Internal Reviews – Haggards also works with Sturgeon to monitor ARs’ financial health, ensuring ARs remain within required risk thresholds (in particular solvency). They also participate in Sturgeon’s internal compliance reviews of ARs.
- Companies House Filings & Accrual Accounting – Haggards ensures that firms meet annual reporting obligations and use accrual accounting to correctly report income, avoiding reliance solely on invoices or cash receipts.
- Support for Entities Transitioning to Direct Authorisation – When firms grow beyond Sturgeon’s regulatory framework, Haggards Crowther assists in financial structuring and reporting adjustments needed for direct FCA authorisation.
Website: https://www.haggards.co.uk/
For further information on any of our ARs or ventures, please email hello@sturgeonventures.com
