Significant expansion for tech firm and Gloucester Rugby partner
A little over a year ago we were reporting ‘significant expansion’ for a certain Gloucestershire tech and digital innovation firm well-known to Gloucester Rugby fans. Now it’s at it again.
Dear reader,
We were due to go big on another Gloucestershire charity today, the ITSA Digital Trust, but we’ve held that story for later in the week.
Which has given us the opportunity to name-drop another of the county’s charities - and the efforts of a certain accountancy firm over the last two years to support it. Arise, Randall & Payne.
But the main story is our take on some news that broke today that we thought would benefit from a little more attention, not least because it’s a positive story to help see us through January.
It’s about a tech and digital services firm that has been making a name for itself on the growth front. That and its habit of signing names from the world of rugby, and having a close working relationship with Gloucester Rugby too!
We are about to launch a whole new series for the year ahead celebrating business success, and if we’d reached that point already - this would be our first winner.
Have a great week.
Best regards,
Andrew Merrell (editor).
Charity of the week: Teckels Animal Sanctuaries
Regular readers will know we give space over on our Monday editions to shine a spotlight on one of Gloucestershire’s many charities. Today we celebrate the incredible efforts of staff at accountants Randall & Payne who named Teckels Animal Sanctuaries their charity of choice two years ago. Since then they have raised funds with barbeques, bake-off challenges, summer fairs and quiz nights. There were darts competitions, half marathons and 10k runs. One staff member, Rachel Roberts, even swam the equivalent of the English Channel (21 miles). The dedication from everyone resulted in the not insignificant sum of £10,221 being raised for the Whitminster charity, which had this to say: “We are truly sad to see them go. Randall & Payne has been one of the best supporters our charity has ever had, and their contribution has been lasting difference to the animals in our care. To other companies out there, if you’re looking for a way to make a real impact, consider partnering with a local animal sanctuary. The rewards go far beyond the numbers.” Reach Teckels here.
Briefing notes…
💷 Wealth management firm JM Finn continues its expansion out of London with its fifth regional office in Cheltenham. Investment director Ian Posgate leads a team of five at the Darwin House offices in Rodney Road. Hugo Bedford, JM Finn’s chief executive officer, described Cheltenham as “an ideal location” for the firm to achieve its expansion plans. Posgate joins JM Finn from EFG Harris Allday. The firm has £11.9 billion under management and administration, 100 investment professionals and 18,500 clients.
🎉 If a town wants to lay claim to offering a great night out, it also has to be seen to be taking every measure it can, within reason, to ensure visitors are safe and looked after. On Saturday 10 January Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucestershire Police tested 14 licensed premises in the town to see how well the ‘Ask for Angela’ initiative was working. Individuals who feel unsafe, threatened, or vulnerable can discreetly approach venue staff and request “Angela.” This phrase alerts staff that assistance is required. All 14 of the venues passed the test.
🚑⚡This is a story that beggars belief, although as we don’t yet know what happened to the missing item perhaps we should reserve judgement. Two lifesaving defibrillator machines went missing from Cheltenham over the New year period. One is still unaccounted for. Defib number 54 went missing from outside Fioro Lounge, 252 Bath Road. It’s described as a ZOLL AEG Plus model, bright green and housed in a black carry case (see image below). These machines were put in place thanks to the efforts of volunteers and generous donations from individuals and businesses. The defibs have now been used 111 times, and 68 per cent of them used 30 times over the festive period. When you think that could well equate to the number of lives saved so far, getting the missing defib back is vital. If anyone has used the device or knows its whereabouts they should contact Public Hearts at 01242 371999.
Diary dates…
Tuesday 13 January:
Cheltenham Networking Breakfast. Due to take place at The SiTE, Chosen View Road, Kingsditch Trading Estate, from 9am to 10.30am hosted by combined accountancy and legal services Optimum Professional Services. More here.
Wednesday 14 January:
Employment Law Changes 2026 – What You Need to Know, Now! Sherbornes Solicitors is due to stage a special seminar aimed at businesses, HR professionals and managing directors to brief them on all the salient points around changes to employment law in 2026. Gloucester Rugby Club’s Kingsholm Stadium, from 9am till noon. More here.
Thursday 15 January:
Tax-Savvy Business: Maximise Profits, Minimise Stress. Due to take place from 9.30am to 12.30pm at The Growth Hub at Hub8, Chester Walk (GL50 3JY). Anita Rasheva will host. More here.
Friday 16 January:
Cheltenham business networking. Cheltenham BNI is due to stage this event at Leonardo Hotel Cheltenham. More here.
* The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read by us is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People and Randall & Payne, our sponsors, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.
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Significant expansion for tech firm and Gloucester Rugby partner
A little over a year ago we were reporting ‘significant expansion’ for a certain Gloucestershire tech and digital innovation firm well-known to Gloucester Rugby fans - and now it’s at it again.
By Andrew Merrell.
A technology and digital innovation provider which a year ago was announcing a 30 per cent increase in turnover and growth in customer base of 26 per cent is back with more good news.
Back then, at the tail end of 2024, the Gloucestershire business announced that the above figures and associated contracts had resulted in an 84 per cent growth in its business.
And now, at the start of 2026, Emerge Digital, headquartered in Cheltenham’s Eagle Tower, is revealing another “significant expansion”, with the managed IT service provider moving into South Wales.
And it’s also unveiled a star signing from the world of rugby, a sector it already has super close ties with.
“The expansion into Cardiff represents a strategic intention to grow our business across the South West,” said Nigel Church, the firm’s chief executive officer.
Turnover is currently £3.1 million and staff numbers have now risen to 23. Those figures are expected to grow this year.
“Any move into new markets comes with its risks, but we believe Cardiff offers a fantastic opportunity to continue our growth - though there is still much more work to be done.
“AI clearly represents an area of significant growth for the business, and we see it as a key driver of innovation and value for both our clients and our own operations.”
The news also comes as Emerge Digital also prepares to announce a partnership with PureCyber, a Cardiff-based cyber security specialist known for services such as round-the-clock monitoring, incident response, penetration testing, and wider security resilience programmes.
The collaboration is expected to “create a more comprehensive offering for businesses, combining their technical expertise with Emerge Digital’s managed service capabilities”.
That star signing from the world of rugby comes in the not insignificant shape of former Wales and British & Irish Lions wing Alex Cuthbert (pictured above, right, with Nigel Church) as its new regional business development director.
It’s not the only former player now on its books.
In August 2024 Emerge Digital appointed the former Gloucester Rugby player Mark Atkinson as its business development director.
The managed IT service provider’s connections to the Gloucestershire Premiership Rigby club do not stop there.
It has been its official IT partner since September 2022. For Church, a lifelong fan of the club, that partnership is more than just about business.
It is also a partnership with one of Gloucestershire’s highest-profile businesses, one that required the very highest standards of cyber security, and a robust, fast and efficient IT infrastructure capable of handling the expectations of the media and 15,000-plus spectators on match days.
It’s what business people would probably call ‘an exciting challenge’.
Cuthbert, who was born and raised in Gloucester and played for Hucclecote RFC, Westbury-on-Severn RFC and Hartpury College, before going on to have an illustrious career internationally and with Ospreys, retired from professional rugby last September. He will lead on business development and regional growth for his new employer.
Known for standout moments during Wales’s 2012 Six Nations Grand Slam and the 2013 Lions tour, he is said to have built a strong portfolio of business interests in recent years, experience that will support the company’s strategic ambitions going forward.
“South Wales has always been home for me, and it’s full of ambitious companies doing incredible things,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to getting out into the region, meeting those businesses, understanding their challenges, and helping them use technology in ways that genuinely move them forward - this feels like the start of a really exciting chapter.”
Emerge Digital already operates across the South West and works with an increasing portfolio of recognised clients, including Brains Brewery, Gloucester Rugby, The Tyre Group, Everhot, DEYA Brewing Company, and Lakes Showering Spaces.
The firm said its move into South Wales, notably Cardiff, reflects rising demand for high-quality IT support, cyber protection, cloud solutions, and digital transformation services across the area.