Albert Goodman has appointed Dawn Baker as a partner, practice protection and forensic services, based in the Bristol office. Her appointment is a significant hire for the firm’s forensic accounting business and she brings considerable experience of forensic accounting, expert witness cases, regulatory compliance, fraud investigations and risk management. Previously Baker was director, global business services and outsourcing at BDO and also spent 17 years at  KPMG.

Armstrong Watson has appointed Stephen Green as transaction services lead partner. Specialising in financial due diligence for 25 years, he has a wealth of experience having worked on deals ranging from £1m to £1bn across a variety of sectors. In his role, Green will focus on positioning the firm’s due diligence offering firmly in the mid-market, owner-managed business space. Previously he was a financial due diligence partner at RSM operating across the North of England.

RSM UK has appointed Jarrod Haggerty as a partner to lead the forensic and investigation services team within consulting. With over 30 years’ experience specialising in global analytics and forensic solutions, Haggerty has worked extensively with multinational entities in the UK and internationally, with a focus on the financial services and automotive sectors. Previously he was global chief technology officer for forensics at Deloitte, where he led the implementation of generative AI and digital transformation.

BK Plus has promoted Amy Cotterill to audit partner at the Aldridge office from her role as audit manager. Starting her career straight out of school at Azets as an audit associate, she joined BK Plus on day one of its inception in March 2021 and quickly became a key figure in the audit team. Her exceptional client relationships, leadership skills, and deep understanding of compliance technology have been instrumental in growing the audit team to nearly 60 members.

DJH Corporate Finance has promoted Jon Else from director to partner, strengthening its senior leadership team, based out of Manchester. He joined the team (formerly DTE Corporate Finance) with a wealth of experience across both professional services and industry roles. A chartered accountant who qualified at PwC’s Manchester office, Else has over 20 years’ corporate finance and strategic leadership experience. Prior to joining DJH in 2023, he was chief financial officer at private equity backed Forster Dean Solicitors.

Ryan has appointed Tom Shave as president of Europe and Asia-Pacific (EAP) division to drive growth. Based in the London office, he will be responsible for organic and inorganic expansion and accelerating growth across these geographic markets. Most recently he was head of tax at Evelyn Partners and also head of growth professional services, focusing on the firm’s recent M&A activity.

Dechert has promoted two London based lawyers to the global partnership, with the appointment of Mansi Seth, tax, and Richard Hodge, enforcement and investigations. Seth focuses her practice on global tax, as well as matters relating to investment funds, private funds and private equity. Prior to joining Dechert, she practised at Nishith Desai Associates as co-leader of the international tax group and head of the US tax practice. Previously she also worked at PwC in New York in international taxation services. The appointments are part of a 13-strong global partner promotion round effective 1 January 2025.

Dow Schofield Watts has appointed Marius Pretorius as transaction services director in the Thames Valley financial and tax due diligence team, focusing on the SME and mid-market space. He joins from Kroll, where he was director of transaction advisory services leading the SPA advisory and data analytics initiatives.

Champion Accountants has appointed Dale Swift as senior tax planning manager in Manchester, Heather Stockton as senior manager in Chester, and Liam Thompson as audit & accounts senior in Preston. Swift has extensive tax planning expertise, advising on accounts and tax strategies, while Stockton returns to the firm after originally working in the Chester office six years ago. She has significant experience in cloud accounting and automation, most recently as a group financial controller in the facilities management sector.

Sharron Gunn has left ICAEW following a decision to restructure the institute board and remove the chief operating officer (COO) role. Gunn joined ICAEW in 2001 as head of technical services and product development and then advanced through various roles, including director of member services in 2006, executive director in 2012, and was named as COO in 2021.

Former ICAEW chief executive Michael Izza has been appointed as a strategic adviser at digital audit platform Inflo. He will support the leadership team by sharing his industry expertise and insights, focusing on the transformative role of technology in shaping the future of accountancy, and supporting expansion plans.

M-Files has appointed Jay Bhatt as CEO. He has a proven track record of helping software businesses scale, develop go-to-market capabilities, and invest in product innovation. Bhatt is also a partner at Boston-based CrossParadigm Capital, an independent investment firm and founder of Agile Growth Corporation. He was previously CEO of a number of software companies, including Alfresco Software, Blackboard, and Progress Software.