The Big Four firm has appointed Julie Boland as global chair and CEO of AssureCo, the standalone audit firm as EY pushes ahead with plans to separate its advisory business from its audit divisions.

The global partners are due to vote on the plans to split the firm into two entities in early 2023.

The auditor’s planned split would divide its $45bn (£39bn) global network roughly 60:40 between the consulting business and the audit-focused partnership, which would retain the EY brand.

It will be the first Big Four firm to radically restructure its business following intense regulatory scrutiny of the audit market. All plans for the split are due to be completed in 2023.