AAB has appointed Gary Harding as head of audit, strengthening the senior leadership team in a significant step for the firm, while partner James Pirrie has moved to a newly created role as audit head of markets. Harding brings over 20 years of experience in senior UK audit leadership roles, having been a partner at BDO, EY and Grant Thornton. In his new role, Harding will be responsible for the strategic leadership and continued expansion of the audit function, now with a 300-strong team. Pirrie will focus on strengthening market presence, developing key client relationships and helping to shape the future direction of the audit service line, and has been a partner at the firm for nearly two decades. Pictured (l-r): James Pirrie, Gary Harding

Forvis Mazars has appointed Elizabeth Young as partner, leading risk assurance in Scotland, based in the Glasgow office. She brings nearly 20 years of expertise in risk assurance and audit, and in consulting, delivering outsourced internal audit services for public sector organisations, as well as commercial and third sector clients. In her new role, Young will establish and grow a dedicated risk assurance practice in the region, with a particular focus on public sector clients. Previously she was a partner at Azets where she led the risk assurance line across Scotland and the north of England, and is an audit and assurance panel member of ICAS.

Grant Thornton has appointed 11 partners across service lines with 75% internally promoted. The tax team appointed eight partners: Jeremy Chapman, Thomas Clubb, Jono Clare, Matt Foulger, Edward Murphy, Kelly Ann Preston, Rachel Stace and Douglas Tailby. Nick Jones and David Pike become partners in the strategic advisory unit, and Michael Green appointed as a partner in the audit and assurance team. Three of the new partners – Foulger, Jones, and Clubb – began their careers at Grant Thornton and have progressed through the firm’s early careers pathway.

Prime Accountants Group has appointed Andrew Cockman as head of private client and Jagdeep Sahota as corporate tax manager joining the tax team at the west Midlands firm. Cockman brings more than 30 years of extensive experience in advising high net worth individuals, international families and trustees on complex private client tax matters, specialising in inheritance tax (IHT) and capital gains tax planning, with a particular interest in UK family owned businesses. Previously he was a tax partner at Streets Tax LLP, and also worked in director roles at Grant Thornton and Deloitte. Sahota is a qualified chartered accountant with seven years of experience, and joins from Dains where he was a tax manager.

Simmons Gainsford, part of Sumer Group, has appointed Kate Greenhough as corporate tax partner, strengthening the tax advisory offering. She brings over 20 years of experience and has a strong mixed tax background, managing large groups, advising on complex technical matters, and developing and mentoring teams. Greenhough joins from Ad Valorem Group where she was a tax director, and previously was a corporate tax partner at Gravita.

Alvarez & Marsal has appointed Dean James as managing director and Nilufar Fowler as senior director to expand its corporate finance offering into the music and immersive entertainment sectors with a focus on M&A, private capital raising and strategic advisory. James brings more than 25 years of experience leading commercial transformation, growth and fundraising for music, live entertainment and marketing services businesses, including as chair of joint venture BeSixth. Fowler has expertise in client growth and business development, and spent 18 years at global agency WPP, most recently as executive vice president, global strategic partnerships.

Azets has appointed debt advisory specialist Vicky Fisher as an assistant manager working out of the Cardiff office. In her new role, she will assist SME owners and managers in all aspects of finance, covering the western and central regions. Fisher has extensive experience across regional management, business development and stakeholder engagement in the financial services sector, and joins from Lloyds Bank where she was customer control manager. Fisher is also a non executive director of Business in Focus, a social enterprise which helps Welsh start-ups.

Quantify Advisors has appointed Sean Gibson as corporate finance manager based in Aberdeen. Gibson, an ICAS qualified chartered accountant, joins the corporate finance firm after six years at Deloitte where, as assistant manager and latterly manager, he gained a wealth of experience in handling complex accounting issues for businesses across the UK.

MGI Midgley Snelling LLP has appointed Gillian Lestrange as an assistant accountant in the management services team and Eugene Tandi as an audit semi senior. Lestrange specialises in bookkeeping for SMEs and her experience includes supporting sole traders and limited companies. Tandi is currently studying towards his chartered accountant qualification and brings several years of experience in audit planning, fieldwork and completion. He joins from TWP Chartered Accountants where he was an audit semi senior.

PKF Littlejohn Advisory has appointed logistics specialist Ian Jones as a consultant, strengthening the Manchester office. Jones co-founded legal advisory practice Backhouse Jones in 2000, focusing on advising operators within the haulage sector. In his new role, he will be responsible for developing and building relationships with key organisations across the sector, using his 30 years’ experience across the industry. He trained as a solicitor and has provided strategic counsel throughout his career, and latterly has focused on net zero and decarbonisation. 

ITV plc announces that non-executive director Margaret Ewing will step down as chair of the audit and risk committee on 5 March. Fellow NED Dawn Allen will succeed Ewing as chair and is already a member of the committee. Allen is a chartered accountant with over 30 years of financial experience and is currently chief financial officer of Haleon plc. She originally trained at EY, before moving to a career in the private sector. Ewing will continue as a member of the committee and in her other board roles. 

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) has appointed Rebecca Roberts-Hughes as executive director of strategy and compliance, completing its executive leadership team as the organisation progresses with its 2030 plan to strengthen professional standards and future relevance across the sector. Roberts‑Hughes joins from senior roles at the Architects Registration Board where she was director of policy and communications, and previously at the Civil Aviation Authority as deputy director, strategy and policy, bringing extensive experience in regulation, strategic planning and delivery within complex, highly regulated environments.