People Moves Update: A wave of activity across mid-market firms

Each month, Accountancy Age delivers a comprehensive update on the key people moves and promotions that have taken place among the UK accountancy market’s top-100  firms.

In February, we unpack the wave of activity in the industry’s mid-market as well as the latest moves across the big four firms, regulators, and trade bodies.

Big Four  

(January 25) Alex Hudson has been named as PWC’s new market senior partner for East Midlands. Hudson has been with the firm since 2002 and will now lead the direction of PWC’s East Midlands team.

(January 27) KPMG has appointed Peter Rothwell as its new head of banking with Rothwell already being a long-standing partner at the company. He will take over the position from Paula Smith who will retire after ten years at the firm.

(31 January) PWC has hired Johnny Colville as a partner to lead the firm’s coverage of the financial investor community. Colville joins from Houlihan Lokey and brings over 25 years of experience in advising clients in the UK and European markets at companies including HSBC.

Mid-market  

(January 4) Gerald Edelman has announced the promotion of Daniel Hildebrand to partner. Since joining the firm in 2019, Hildebrand has been working as a manager in the business service department.

(January 5) RSM UK has welcomed James Hemphill as a partner at their Birmingham office. After six years at EY, Hemphill now will be part of RSM’s employer solutions team.

(January 5) MHA has recruited Ryan Swann as a new audit partner for the East Anglia region. Swann joins the firm having amassed 10 years of international experience working for Baker Tilly Hong Kong.

(January 6) Matthew Watkins has been appointed tax director at Menzies and joins after three years at BDO. Watkins brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having worked within tax investigation and resolution for almost 15 years at firms such as Grant Thornton and Moore Stephens International.

(January 9) Old Mill has appointed David Gage as partner and head of VAT to help drive its plans to double the size of the firm by 2026. Gage previously worked at Evelyn Partners where he also previously held the title of director in VAT.

(January 11) Mazars has announced the hire of Hina Desai from Abrdn. Desai has been appointed as a partner and will lead the firm’s private client team with her 25 years plus experience in roles at Grant Thornton and HW financial services to name a few.

(January 11) Haysmacintyre has recruited Emma Bernardez as head of hospitality, taking over the role from Andrew Bell who spent 15 years in the position. Bernardez has been at the firm since her trainee days before becoming a partner.

(January 12) Crowe has bolstered its risk consulting team with the appointment of a new head of sustainability, Alex Hindson. With over 30 years of experience, Hindson has become one of 80 partners at the firm.

(January 12) Azets has welcomed the addition of Steve Tennant as its chief operating officer after spending five years at Mitie.

(January 13) Bishop Fleming has recruited Gary Woodhall as a new audit partner. Woodhall will work as part of the firm’s Worcester team, and his hiring brings Bishop Fleming’s overall partnership to 40 for the first time.

(January 16) Dow Schofield Watts has grown its London team with the acquisition of Max Joseph as a transaction services executive. Joseph joins DSW from Blick Rothenburg where he spent the last four years as an assistant manager in audit and assurance.

(January 17) Cowgills has promoted two of its team members to its partnership. Ben Cowgill and Jimmy Fish are both insolvency practitioners and both work within Cowgills’ business recovery team.

(January 19) BDO has welcomed five new partners across its audit and advisory teams. Debbie Thomas, Ian Bennington, Helen Detre, David Gonnelli, and Sarah Anderson take the firm’s total number of partners to 434.

(January 20) Sedulo has made two senior appointments in Andy Nixon and Diccon Thornely. Nixon will fill the position of national director of operations and tax and Thornely is the national head of audit.

(January 23) Lubbock Fine has announced the appointment of Jamie Johnson as a partner, leading its corporate finance business unit. Johnson will bring 20 years of experience in past positions at BKL and FSPG Chartered Accountants to the role and specialises in providing M&A and fundraising advice.

(January 26) Kreston Reeves has recruited two new staff members to join its corporate tax team. Michael Haig has joined the firm as a director and James O’Leary will start as a corporate tax manager.

(January 30) Xeinadin has appointed Keith McDonagh as Director of Corporate Finance in Ireland. McDonagh will bring over 20 years of experience in financial services, including a 15-year period at KBC Bank Ireland across professional practice and banking.

Regulators and trade bodies

(January 13) The Chartered IIA has recruited the services of Anne Kiem, OBE as its new chief executive. Kiem begins her new role after working as chief executive at the Chartered Association of Business Schools for eight years.

(January 30) Baroness Zahida Manzoor CBE has been reappointed as Chair of the Financial Ombudsman Service. The move was made by the FCA Board with the approval of the Treasury. Baroness Manzoor was first appointed to the role in 2019 on an initial 3-year term.

If your firm has made any acquisitions or appointments that you think should feature in one of our updates, email [email protected]