Jane McCormick, head of tax and pensions at KPMG in the UK, has been promoted to head of tax for KPMG’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMA) region and a member of the Big Four firm’s EMA board. She has also been named senior tax partner for KPMG in the UK.
In her new role, McCormick will head up KPMG’s strategy and response to EU audit reform. As the senior tax partner in the UK, she will continue to take responsibility for KPMG’s professional conduct in tax and to lead the firm’s engagement with government, HMRC, professional bodies and clients. She will take up the new role from 1 January 2015.
McCormick said: ‘I am very excited to be taking on this new challenge and huge role. Our tax, pensions and legal service practice is passing through an intense period of change.
‘On the one hand changing market conditions mean that we have to adapt our services and the way we deliver them, while EU audit reform, the change in regulation of legal services and the digital revolution are all causing significant market disruption.
‘At the same time we face large scale operational change, increased interest in and scrutiny of the tax profession and a once in a lifetime opportunity to reshape tax services in line with this rapidly evolving landscape.’
Taking over from McCormick is Karen Briggs, partner and current head of KPMG’s UK risk consulting practice. Her remit will be to lead and accelerate the transformation of the practice and to foster and embed stronger collaboration between the UK firm’s tax and advisory practices in line with its ‘One Firm’ strategy. Melissa Allen, UK partner and head of financial services consulting, becomes head of KPMG’s UK risk consulting practice.
Simon Collins, chairman and senior partner at KPMG in the UK, said: ‘Karen's appointment helps to accelerate our ‘One Firm’ strategy, bringing together advisory and tax.’