Key Takeaways
- • TPG Growth has agreed to acquire Smith + Howard, an Atlanta-based professional services firm founded in 1971 with approximately 800 employees across seven states, in a transaction expected to close in Q3 2026.
- • The deal marks the exit of Broad Sky Partners, which invested in Smith + Howard in 2022, with William Blair and Baird & Co. serving as co-financial advisors to the seller and Guggenheim Securities advising TPG.
- • Smith + Howard serves privately held businesses, nonprofits, and high-net-worth clients across construction, distribution, hospitality, manufacturing, real estate, and technology sectors, positioning the firm as a specialized middle-market service provider.
- • CEO Sean Taylor will remain in leadership following the transaction, with Smith + Howard maintaining its existing brand identity under TPG Growth ownership.
- • TPG Growth, the middle-market and growth equity platform of Fort Worth-based TPG (which manages $306 billion in assets under management), will leverage its platform to support the firm's expansion and service delivery capabilities.
Summary
TPG Growth has announced a significant investment in Smith + Howard, a diversified professional services firm based in Atlanta with a 55-year operating history. Founded in 1971, Smith + Howard has built a substantial practice serving middle-market and high-net-worth clients across construction, distribution, hospitality, manufacturing, real estate, and technology sectors. The firm operates across seven states with approximately 800 professionals and provides assurance, tax, advisory, and wealth management services to privately held businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individual clients with complex financial needs.
The transaction represents an exit for Broad Sky Partners, which became the majority investor in Smith + Howard in 2022. Financial advisors William Blair and Baird & Co. jointly advised both Smith + Howard and Broad Sky on the transaction, while Guggenheim Securities provided advisory services to TPG. Max Wein led the TPG deal team on the acquisition. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2026.
TPG Growth, launched in 2007, serves as the middle-market and growth equity investment platform for TPG, the Fort Worth-based alternative asset management firm managing $306 billion in assets under management across its platforms. Under the new ownership structure, CEO Sean Taylor will continue to lead Smith + Howard, and the firm will retain its established brand identity. This ownership transition positions Smith + Howard to benefit from TPG's operational resources, platform capabilities, and network of portfolio company executives while maintaining continuity in leadership and client relationships.
The transaction represents an exit for Broad Sky Partners, which became the majority investor in Smith + Howard in 2022. Financial advisors William Blair and Baird & Co. jointly advised both Smith + Howard and Broad Sky on the transaction, while Guggenheim Securities provided advisory services to TPG. Max Wein led the TPG deal team on the acquisition. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2026.
TPG Growth, launched in 2007, serves as the middle-market and growth equity investment platform for TPG, the Fort Worth-based alternative asset management firm managing $306 billion in assets under management across its platforms. Under the new ownership structure, CEO Sean Taylor will continue to lead Smith + Howard, and the firm will retain its established brand identity. This ownership transition positions Smith + Howard to benefit from TPG's operational resources, platform capabilities, and network of portfolio company executives while maintaining continuity in leadership and client relationships.
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