Vicki Heard is currently group head of tax and legal services and will take over from Chris Hearld, current group managing partner, who will be retiring after 34 years at the firm. Alan Turner, chief operating officer of tax and legal services, will replace Heard.

Joining the UK firm in 2001 as a graduate trainee, astrophysicist and chartered accountant Heard has over 25 years of corporate tax experience, and has been head of tax and legal services fox six years and was previously in charge of the UK financial services tax business. She will take over the new role from 1 January 2027, and will continue to sit on the executive committee.