March people moves: KPMG, Deloitte, PwC make senior hires

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

Big four     

(March 3) KPMG UK has announced the appointment of Philip Shields as a managing director, leading the real estate corporate finance practice. Shields moves to KPMG following a few years at Panmure Gordo & Co as managing director of its real estate investment banking team. 

(March 8) Deloitte has announced Smruti Naik-Jones as its first chief sustainability officer, and Anne-Marie Malley will lead the firm’s UK sustainability and climate team. Malley joined Deloitte in 2001 and previously led the firm’s consulting practice. Naik-Jones will head up the firm’s global climate strategy to drive Deloitte’s net zero and sustainability agenda. 

(March 10) KPMG has acquired the services of Donnie MacLeod as managing director, working within the firm’s energy M&A team. Previously, MacLeod spent almost 12 years at Deloitte and five years at Standard Chartered Bank as a director.    

(March 23) PwC has appointed Dweenisha Caleechurn as a director in its pensions risk transfer advisory team. In her new role, Caleechurn will be responsible for providing expert guidance and advice to clients regarding pension risk transfer.   

(March 27) KPMG UK has appointed James Osborn as chief digital officer, replacing Lisa Heneghan who has assumed the position of global chief digital officer at KPMG International. Osborn brings a wealth of experience to the role, including five years at Deloitte as a director.   

Mid-tier 

March 1) PKF has promoted Selina Edis, the firm’s chief operating officer, and Tim Harris, who works in the audit team to its partner tier. Edis, who specialises in auditing SMEs has worked at PKF for 20 years across a variety of sectors, while Harris joined the firm in 2018 after spending two and a half years at BDO.   

(March 1) Saffery Champness has revealed James Stevens will take up a role as partner at the firm after leaving his position at Deloitte. The appointment is part of the firm’s growth of its team in Peterborough. His role will focus on capital tax, trust advice, and strategy.   

(March 1) Chris Matthews has joined Magma as a corporate finance manager after spending 17 years at HSKS Greenhalgh. Matthews is a private business specialist with expertise in the health sector.   

(March 6) Lauren Chadwick and Julie Harding have been appointed as managers in Albert Goodman’s tax team, shortly after the announcement of Ruth Powell as a director in the expanding function. Chadwick started working in tax in 2012 and is now a Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) and a member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT). Powell formerly held a private banking role and worked at Evelyn Partners before her switch to Albert Goodman.     

(March 13) Evelyn Partners has hired Caroline Jarvis Gee as head of charity business development. Gee has over 20 years’ experience working alongside charities.   

(March 16) Price Bailey has promoted six senior team members who will be moving into the firm’s partnership team from April 2023. The promotions include Gary Frear and Parry Jackson from the business team, Shaun Jordan and Tom Meeks from the corporate team, Stuart Morton from the insolvency and recovery team, and Gemma Thake from the tax team.   

(March 16) PKF has appointed Justine Sacarello as its general counsel. With expertise in cross-border complex contractual and financing transactions, Sacarello has gained nearly 30 years of legal experience, most notably at KPMG, before joining PKF. 

(March 24) Lubbock Fine has appointed two new experienced senior tax hires, Shaharan Deen as tax director and Sharon Parker as senior VAT manager. Parker has previously worked at Moore Kingston Smith and Grant Thornton while Deen has also spent time at Moore as well as five years at PKF Littlejohn. 

(March 25) Laura Duggan has been appointed as a partner at Azets to enhance its corporate tax services in the North East. Duggan possesses 18 years of experience, primarily in tax and accounting advice.   

(March 28) Sheetal Sanghvi, a partner in RSM’s corporate tax team, has been elevated to the position of managing partner at the firm’s Nottingham office. Beginning the position on April 1, Sangvi first joined RSM in 2005 as an audit tax assistant.   

(March 31) Evelyn Partners has hired Owen Burns as a VAT director in its Bristol office. Burns joins the firm after working at PWC for 14 years as a tax advisor, and he has previously worked at HMRC. 

Regulators and trade bodies  

(March 8) Maggie McGhee, executive director for strategy and governance at ACCA, has been appointed chair of HM Treasury’s User Preparer Advisory Group (UPAG). The Treasury receives autonomous recommendations and guidance from the group to enhance the financial reporting of the public sector.   

(March 24) The ICAEW has announced the decision of Michael Izza to retire as its chief executive by the end of 2023. Izza became a qualified chartered accountant in 1986 and began his role at the ICAEW in 2002. The ICAEW Board will shortly proceed with a formal search for a successor.

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