Private equity, accountancies, and the value of AI readiness

Private Equity (PE) is transforming the UK accountancy sector. According to a 2025 survey by Kingsley Napley, 46% of UK accounting firms are open to private equity investment, with 27% already backed and 19% considering it in the future. Notably, 86% had received approaches from investors in 2024 alone.

In this environment, operational maturity is now a valuation driver. This includes many things, such as cloud scalability, security, and audit trails, as well as AI readiness. AI adoption is increasingly essential to remain competitive, and PE firms are well aware of the value it brings to their potential investments.

The AI & structured data imperative

In PE-owned environments, automation and analytics are central to value creation. But AI is only effective when data is structured and accessible. With a modern DMS like iManage Work, OCR and metadata tagging create structured data sets; smart search enables instant document retrieval across offices; AI models can automate client letters, flag anomalies, and generate insights.

As one PE COO commented in Financial News coverage: “If the document estate isn’t clean and tagged, AI becomes a liability — not an asset.”

Model Context Protocol (MCP): The key to AI enablement

To enable AI-driven intelligence safely and efficiently, firms need an open, secure standard for connecting AI systems to their document infrastructure. The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard introduced by Anthropic in November 2024 that does precisely that, defining a universal interface akin to “USB-C for AI.”

By implementing Model Context Protocol (MCP), iManage unlocks a powerful foundation for scalable, intelligent access across the platform. iManage remains the secure, trusted foundation that connects and governs content across the AI ecosystem, giving you AI confidence in your work actions.

Why this matters for PE-focused accountancy firms:

• Security & compliance: MCP and iManage Work ensure that sensitive work product remains within the firm’s secure environment. No external indexing, no shadow repositories.
• Operational efficiency: One integration supports many AI tools. IT teams deploy faster and maintain less.
• Futureproofing: MCP is designed to evolve with AI. As new models emerge, they can plug into the same protocol.
• Governance assurance: As iManage makes the knowledge work platform accessible via MCP, it respects ethical walls, access controls, and audit trails — critical for legal compliance.

For a PE audience, adopting technology that utilizes MCP, such as iManage, signals a pragmatic path to AI enablement: it reduces integration friction and vendor risk, while making it easier to prove that sensitive data access is controlled, auditable, and reversible.

The value multiplier of AI

The value of AI goes beyond demonstrating operational maturity — it can serve as a force multiplier across your business.

Each successful AI implementation delivers immediate gains but also lays the groundwork for even greater value over time. For example, when deployed within a secure, cloud-native document management system (DMS) like iManage Work, generative AI can surface firm-specific knowledge in real time, allowing your team to act faster, with greater context and renewed confidence.

The result transcends output that’s “better.” It delivers output that improves with each query as models are fine-tuned, workflows mature, and teams become more adept at integrating AI into everyday practice.

AI Confidence: Make operational maturity your advantage

Embracing AI readiness goes beyond ticking a technology box; it means embedding intelligence into every document, workflow, and strategic decision. By structuring data, adopting open standards like the Model Context Protocol, and leveraging platforms such as iManage Work, accountancy firms can turn operational maturity into a scalable, secure, and future-proof advantage.

Learn more

Want to learn more about how your firm can embrace operational maturity to stand out in the competition for PE investment? Read our ‘How cloud-native document management drives value in PE-backed accountancy consolidation’ white paper.