Accountancy people moves: February 2025

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

In March 2025, we highlight the latest wave of career activity across February, featuring partner promotions and strategic hires at leading firms, including HaysMac, Evelyn Partners, KPMG, PwC, Deloitte, and Azets. The Insolvency Service also saw a major leadership change, while The Royal Mint and Lloyd’s of London appointed new finance heads.

Mid-Tier and National Firm Appointments

(6 Feb) HaysMac has promoted Sabina Burke to co-head of the creative, media & technology sector, becoming the firm’s first tax specialist to co-lead a sector. She joins Jon Dawson to lead HaysMac’s largest corporate sector. A chartered tax adviser, Burke specializes in corporate structuring, exit planning, M&A, SEIS/EIS tax reliefs, and international tax. She joined as a director in 2023 from Carter Backer Winter (CBW) and originally trained at KPMG. Her promotion raises the percentage of female sector heads at HaysMac to 57%.

(6 Feb) Evelyn Partners has appointed Julie Moore as a tax partner to drive growth in employee solutions across the North. Based in Manchester, she has over 15 years of experience specializing in employee solutions compliance. Moore will lead the pay governance support area, which includes workforce engagement and reward strategies, pay, expenses and benefit structures, incentive planning, international employment matters, and global mobility. She joins from RSM, where she was employment tax director for the northwest.

(17 Feb) Azets has made 122 promotions, including 10 new partners and directors. Noel Hankinson has been named Regional Managing Partner for the North West, while Joshua Vincent becomes a partner in Accounting & Business Advisory Services (ABAS). Eight new directors include Jessica Barry, Hannah Mitchell, Caroline Morgan, Keith Porterfield (ABAS), Francesca Bailey, Jon Huggins (corporate finance), Louise Phillips (VAT), and Ed Cliff (audit & assurance). In addition, James Thomas has joined Azets’ Bristol team as a partner in corporate finance, bringing 25 years of advisory experience from HMT Corporate Finance, where he led the technology practice.

Big Four Appointments

(Feb 14) KPMG has promoted David Mitchell to partner and Head of Audit for the North East. Mitchell has been with the firm for 17 years, most recently serving as an audit director. He has worked with some of the region’s largest privately owned businesses across Yorkshire and the North East.

PwC has named three new sector leads: Amish Patel as public sector transport leader, Katie Johnston as devolved and local government leader, and Iain Alexander as health services sector leader. Patel also leads PwC’s consulting practice across UK regions and is a partner sponsor for a pro-bono mentoring initiative in the transport industry.

(Feb 18) Deloitte has promoted David Mitchell (a separate individual) to office senior partner for Glasgow, where he will oversee a 325-strong team. An audit partner since 2016, Mitchell has over 20 years of experience in professional services. His priorities include supporting Deloitte’s business lines to drive sustainable economic growth and help businesses leverage Scotland’s energy transition.

Leadership Moves in Financial Services and Accounting Bodies

(Feb 16) The Insolvency Service has announced that CEO Dean Beale will step down to become Executive Director of the newly established Centre for Public Interest Audit. Beale has worked in the insolvency sector for more than 30 years, leading major cases including British Steel and Thomas Cook. His replacement will be announced in due course.

(Feb 6) The Royal Mint has named Chris Walton as non-executive chair, succeeding Graham Love, who has served since 2018. Walton will oversee the Mint’s diversification, including Precious Metals Recovery and the luxury jewellery range 886, named after the Royal Mint’s founding year.

(Feb 5) The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) has appointed Greg Ferrari as Executive Director of Performance and Transformation, completing CEO Sarah Beale’s leadership team. Ferrari joins from Advance HE, where he was COO & chief transformation officer. He also spent a decade at Pearson, holding VP operations and customer service roles.

Key COO and Transformation Roles

(Feb 14) Crowe UK has appointed Roger Walker as its first Chief Operating Officer, leading operational efficiency and digital transformation. Walker, a digital transformation expert, was previously Head of Technology Transformation at the Bank of England and has held key roles at UBS and NatWest Group (RBS).

(Feb 10) PKF Smith Cooper has appointed Dean Nelson as Head of Business Recovery and Restructuring in the East Midlands. With 25 years of experience, Nelson will be based in the firm’s Nottingham and Derby offices, supporting businesses in financial distress. The firm has also promoted Tom Joy to corporate finance director. Joy, who has spent seven years at the firm, has played an instrumental role in building its deal-making business in the West Midlands.

Corporate Finance and Strategic Hires

(Feb 18) Armstrong Watson has appointed Lee Hayes as corporate finance partner – funding and debt advisory. Hayes brings over three decades of banking and finance experience, having worked at Bank of Scotland, Bank of Ireland, Bibby Financial Services, and Close Brothers Invoice Finance. He will focus on structuring funding packages for clients across the firm.

(Feb 18) Grant Thornton has named Debbie King as a partner in restructuring, pensions, and debt advisory (RPDA). King, an experienced insolvency practitioner, joins from AlixPartners and will lead large and complex restructuring cases, while also championing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) initiatives within the firm.

(Feb 14) Leonard Curtis has strengthened its restructuring team with the appointment of Liz Welch as a director in Birmingham. Welch, a qualified accountant and insolvency practitioner, specializes in accelerated mergers and acquisitions (AMAs) and the sale of businesses in pre-pack administrations. She previously spent 14 years at Kroll, moving there after its acquisition of Duff & Phelps.

Financial Services and Governance Appointments

(Feb 27) John Wood Group has appointed Iain Torrens as interim CFO and executive director while the company searches for a permanent CFO following the resignation of Arvind Balan. Torrens, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, has over three decades of finance experience, including as chairman and non-executive director of Praxis Group Ltd and as CFO at TalkTalk Group and ICAP.