Leading UK governance advisor Indigo Governance (Indigo), which was rated as one of the Europe’s Fastest-Growing Companies in 2025 by the Financial Times, has been selected to feature in this year’s internationally respected Chambers Guide.
Indigo, whose clients include easyHotel, Merlin Entertainment and Southend United, was one of only five firms to feature from the UK Corporate Governance and Company Secretarial industry in the influential rankings. Its co-founders and directors, Bernadette Young and David Gracie, were also recognised as notable practitioners in the Guide.
Amongst an array of high profile engagements, Indigo’s role in Hotel Chocolat’s acquisition by Mars Inc in 2024 was particularly highlighted. As Hotel Chocolat’s Company Secretary (Co-sec), Indigo played a vital part in the board’s negotiation and recommendation of this deal, supporting the board in its compliance with a complex range of regulatory requirements and managing key elements of the execution and implementation of the acquisition and employee share plan arrangements. Hotel Chocolat was subsequently awarded the Proshare 2024 “Best Share Plan Outcome Following a Major Corporate Transaction” award.
The Chambers Guide was first published in 1990 and has been a leading source of legal market intelligence ever since. The 2025 Guide, which was, as usual, compiled from research and interviews with a large pool of industry leaders, also includes rankings of SMEs, dispute resolution specialists, IT/outsourcing and professional negligence firms for the first time.
The Guide’s editors note that the broadening of the rankings reflects a shift in the priorities of British business as environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues climb the corporate agenda, and regulatory scrutiny intensifies. They note that the rankings are not “merely a rollcall of technical expertise”, but a recognition of those who have demonstrated “strategic leadership, boardroom influence, and a tangible commitment to diversity and inclusion.”
Bernadette Young, co-founder and Director of Indigo commented:
“We are honoured to be included in the inaugural Chambers Guide for Company Secretaries. The decision to include Company Secretaries in the rankings this year will help raise standards across the sector and provide much needed recognition for a profession often overlooked and misunderstood in the public eye. Company secretaries and governance professionals support all spheres of business operations from refinancing and M&A to advising on Board oversight and providing critical support outside of formal meetings. They have a crucial and strategic role to play for businesses and, as an independent consultancy, we are proud to be recognised as one of the UK’s leading corporate governance advisors.”
For more information about Indigo visit: https://indigogovernance.com/ or visit Chambers Guide online: https://chambers.com/department/indigo-governance-company-secretarial-newlaw-94:3661:15649:1:23399248
