Accountancy people moves: June 2024

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 June 2024, we unveil the final wave of activity among some of the largest firms and accounting bodies in the UK across June. There were a number of big changes among the big four, including the announcement of EY’s UK chair stepping down; KPMG also chose a new head for it’s Scottish arm and Hannah Dobson will lead it’s fintech interests. Among the mid market, there was less movement than June but there were a swathe of partner promotions at RSM, BDO, Forvis Mazars, and Bishop Flemming.

Mid-tier 

(June 3) Accountancy and business advisory firm Johnston Carmichael has strengthened its leadership team with five senior promotions across the business. The new Partners are: Gillian McColgan (Tax), who is based in Aberdeen; Graeme Bain (Restructuring), in Glasgow; and Sally Hewish (Audit Quality, Risk and Technical), in London. The new Directors are: Ryan Milne (Business Advisory), in Dundee and Keith Hamilton (General Counsel), in Edinburgh.

(June 3) RSM UK has appointed Rob Pullen as private client tax partner, covering London and the South East region. Prior to joining RSM, Pullen was a partner at a top 10 central London firm, where he led a portfolio of over 350 international owner-managed businesses, entrepreneurs, and high net worth clients from a variety of sectors. Rob began his career at a Big Four firm, and has over 15 years’ experience helping high net worth individuals and owner-managed businesses navigate the complex tax landscape.

(June 3) Saffery has expanded its Corporate Finance team into the south of England with the appointment of Hemal Pandit as director. Hemal has particular expertise in the lower mid-market, regularly advising on deals ranging from £10 million to £50 million, as well as larger transactions, for clients including private equity firms, owner managed businesses, listed and private companies.

(June 6) BDO has announced the appointment of Andrew Radford as its new national head of professional services. Radford has more than 15 years’ experience working across the professional services sector, takes over the role from Nick Carter-Pegg, who will remain a partner within BDO’s professional services team.

(June 10) Evelyn Partners has announced the appointment of George Uglow to the role of financial planner to help support the continued expansion of its Exeter office. Uglow has worked in the financial services industry for over 15 years and joins Evelyn Partners from Cavendish Medical where he was a Chartered Financial Planner. He has a broad range of experience providing traditional advice services as well developing specialisms in planning with the NHS pension and for individual recipients of Personal Injury settlements.

(June 11) Forvis Mazars has announced the appointment of Julie Breakell to the role of audit partner in its Poole office. Having worked in the region for over 20 years, Breakell is immersed in the local market and is familiar with the region’s business dynamics.

(June 11) Hazlewoods has made two senior appointments from Deloitte to its corporate finance team. Phil Lane will join the leadership team as a Partner and COO for the firm and will also work with our Corporate Finance team as we continue to focus on growing our regional mid-market corporate finance M&A business alongside our existing specialist sector teams.and family-owned clients principally in the Consumer, Food and Services sectors. Pete Muldrew will join our Corporate Finance team as a Director and, with over 10 years of M&A experience in advising private and family-owned businesses across the South West & Wales, brings his market profile and deal experience to focus on supporting the growth of the M&A team.

(June 13) Forvis Mazars has appointed Mitesh Thakrar as its audit partner in the East Midlands. Following the recent launch of Forvis Mazars. Following the recent launch of Forvis Mazars, the newest top 10 global professional services network, Mitesh joins the firm at a period of great opportunity in the East Midlands.

(June 18) BHP has appointed Dan Summerfield to lead its new Commercial Finance service. Summerfield, a Yorkshire financier, joins the firm from Panacea Investment Group and will oversee all aspects of commercial finance and the firm’s Professional Banking and Finance team, ensuring his wealth of experience can support clients across our five offices.

(June 18) Moore Kingston Smith has appointed Alison Kerrey to the tax technical team. She brings vast experience engaging with HMRC and HM Treasury on new and developing tax policy areas, including the government’s Making Tax Digital plan, which will have significant implications for businesses and individuals.

(June 20) DFK UK and Ireland has announced the appointment of Ben Brownson to the board of directors. Brownson will be alongside his father Jonathan Brownson as an RPG Group Board Director and will be the fifth generation of the Brownson family to be involved with RPG.

(June 20) Accountancy firm BDO has strengthened its partner offering with an additional three appointments.  Richard Watson joins BDO as partner in the tax team and will be responsible for supporting the growth of the firm’s tax business in the East of England. Oliver Pumfrey also joins as a tax partner, bringing nearly 20 years’ experience to the firm and will provide corporate tax advice to private and public companies across a broad range of sectors. Giles Watson joins the firm as partner in the Financial Services audit team. He has over 20 years’ experience of leading national and international teams to deliver on large audits within the insurance sector.

(June 25) Bishop Fleming has announced the partner promotion of accountancy director John Speak, as the firm continues to drive growth. Speak brings considerable experience working with businesses throughout the region, offering a high level of strategic advice, technical accounting knowledge and expertise.

(June 25) UHY Hacker Young Manchester has appointed Elizabeth Potier as its new chief operations officer. Potier is set to manage and drive consistency within UHY’s core operations functions. Having already achieved more than 50 per cent team growth and more than 200 per cent of organic growth, Potier’s appointment is designed to increase efficiency further and support the firm’s growth plans.

(June 26) Forvis Mazars has announced the appointment of Tatham Crawford-Lennox as its new director of people and culture in the UK. She is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist with deep experience in shaping HR strategy and company culture in large organisations, most recently at PwC. At Forvis Mazars, Tatham will be responsible for designing and implementing a strategy which closely aligns Forvis Mazars’ values and purpose with the daily lived experience of its people at every stage in their career journey.

(June 26) Grant Thornton UK has announced a trio of promotions within its Public Sector Audit team. Barrie Morris’ promotion to Public Sector Audit Partner follows a 25-year career in auditing. His new role positions him to lead the 80-strong South West audit team, overseeing the delivery of timely, high quality and efficient external audits for public sector organisations  Supporting Barrie Morris in the day-to-day operations of the team will be Beth Bowers and Grace Hawkins, both of whom have been promoted to Public Sector Audit Director.

(June 26) Accounting and tax advisory firm Saffery has recently appointed Joshua Creedy as new director of its Edinburgh office. Creedy, joined the firm in May 2024, adding further depth to its longstanding private client offering. Prior to joining Saffery, Joshua trained as a chartered accountant and tax advisor and worked for almost a decade at a Big Four firm. Yi Zheng has also been named as sustainability and ESG manager, establishing an enhanced sustainability offering for the benefit of the firm’s clients in Edinburgh, and complementing Saffery’s UK-wide sustainability and ESG practice which now consists of 15 professionals. Saffery has also added Anny Chan as data administrator and Sam Stone as trainee chartered accountant to the Edinburgh office.

(June 28) Hentons has recently announced the additions of four new members to its team across the York and Thirsk offices – Eve Russell, asisstant accountant in the York office; Georgina Macklet, assistant accountant at the Thirsk office; Olivia Miller, senior accountant in the York office; and Philippa Davidson, admin associate at the Thirsk office.

Big Four

(June 5) Deloitte has announced that it has promoted 81 people to the position of partner in the UK. This year’s promotions include 19 new partners from ethnic minority* backgrounds, equating to 23% of the promotions. This has raised the overall figure of partners from an ethnic minority background to 12% (164 partners).

(June 13) The chair of EY UK Hywel Ball has reportedly told partners at the firm that he intends to step down. The 61-year-old former auditor has expressed his desire to “hand on the baton” to a successor, setting the stage for a competitive internal selection process that will unfold in the second half of 2024.

(June 13) KPMG UK has appointed Vishal Chopra to lead the professional services firm in Scotland. Looking ahead, Chopra will be responsible for a team of more than 900 people across KPMG’s offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

(June 14) KPMG UK has appointed Hannah Dobson as its new head of Fintech. Dobson was previously co-head of Fintech alongside John Hallsworth joined the firm in 2015 and in addition to leading our Fintech team she is a Partner in KPMG’s indirect tax team.

(June 17) EY has announced the appointment of Annie Graham as its new UK head of audit. She takes over from Andrew Walton who has led EY’s audit practice for the last four years, overseeing significant changes including the operational separation of the UK audit business. Graham  has worked with FTSE 100 listed companies to private PE backed businesses, across a range of sectors. She originally joined EY on a summer internship in 1997 and was made a Partner at 29.

(June 17) PwC has announced the appointment of Jamie Peel to the role of director in its Manchester lead advisory team. He will lead our special situations and restructuring M&A offering across the North of England, working as an integrated part of PwC’s national team in this area. Peel joins PwC from Zeus Capital where as corporate finance director he was responsible for executing complex M&A transactions covering a range of sectors and transaction types.

Trade bodies

(June 4) The ICAEW Ethics and Advisory Committee has appointed ethics adviser Stuart Brown as vice-chair. Brown, who is a director at Duncan & Toplis, has been a member of the committee since 2021. The committee helps to develop new guidance for the profession as well as reviewing cases, taking part in consultations and providing feedback and recommendations.

(June 12) The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) has appointed Simon Bittlestone, FCMA, CGMA, as 91st president of the Institute. He will also serve as 9th Chair of the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (the Association), the world’s largest accounting membership body of public and management accountants. Bittlestone is a business leader with experience in both private and public companies and in the US, UK, and Asian markets, and currently holds a portfolio of advisory and non-executive roles for several technology businesses, investment funds, and charities.

(June 26) The Institute of Financial Accountants (IFA) has announced changes to its senior management team, as well as a new appointment as it continues to strengthen its services. Kyle Baker-Kemp joins as the new professional development and advocacy manager, bringing 13 years of “extensive” industry experience to the industry body. Prior to his new role, he joined ICAEW in 2018 as Member Programme Executive before being promoted to Event Programme Manager. The latest recruitment announcement comes amid a series of team promotions at the IFA, designed to enhance the leadership team and further demonstrate its commitment to supporting SMEs and SMPs through sustained growth and innovation.