Group A - Horwath chief executive quits

Peter Salter has quit Horwath Clark Whitehill five weeks before his three-year term as chief executive ends.

Salter, 49, told colleagues he decided to leave the Group A firm to spend more time with his family and work as personal financial adviser to entrepreneur Adrian Nash, one of HCW?s high net worth clients. The firm?s finance officer David Furst has been appointed as Salter?s replacement from 1 July.

Salter?s departure shocked staff, but insiders said he was looking for ?fresh challenges?. Furst will continue Salter?s work to entrench HCW as the lead adviser to UK owner-managed businesses.

Zahir Fazal, HCW?s marketing partner, said: ?Coming back to being a client service partner did not appeal to Peter. He wanted challenges outside the profession.

?We have got the continuity as David has been on the firm?s executive for three years.? Salter, who was on holiday this week, joined the firm after leaving university almost 27 years ago and became involved in practice management in the mid 1980s when he ran the London office before becoming joint managing partner.