Tenon was one of the first accountancy firms in the United Kingdom, not wholly owned by its partners, being a public limited company (PLC) listed on the Alternative Investment Market.
It was formed as a "consolidator", inviting existing small local accountancy partnerships to join it and become part of a national company.
[5] Tenon's public image was characterised by Accountancy Age magazine in April 2010, as "quirky but recognisable entrepreneurial based branding".
It had over 1,000 staff in fifteen offices around the United Kingdom in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Harrogate, Leeds, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Solent, Stoke-on-Trent, Swindon and Telford.
Bentley Jennison secured a place in the RSM Global network when the original member, Robson Rhodes, merged with Grant Thornton in April 2007.
The weekly industry journal Accountancy Age noted that Bentley Jennison had beaten larger rivals to gain this position.
The former national managing partner, Tony Stockdale, and other senior staff at RSM Bentley Jennison joined the PLC Board as Executive Directors.
[3] In February 2010, the Financial Services Authority imposed a £700,000 fine for mis selling of structured finance products by Tenon.
[10] At the end of June 2010, RSM Tenon paid £6.8 million to acquire several offices from rival consolidator Vantis, when the latter entered administration and was broken up.