RSM UK has announced 10 new partners across its audit, tax, consulting and core function teams. The tax practice has promoted four partners including corporate tax expert Flora Barnes, personal tax specialists Kate Aitchison and Lewis Tompkins, as well as tax investigations expert Paul Marcroft. The national consulting service line promotes accounting and financial expert Jo Duddle and restructuring advisory specialist James Hawksworth. The national audit team also sees promotions for Charlotte Massey in Manchester and Michael Oates in Preston. Catherine Riches has been promoted to brand and communications partners and Oliver Brett’s pivotal role in the commercial finance function has also been recognised as he becomes a partner.

Scrutton Bland, now part of Sumer Group, has appointed three partners, Ben Cussons, Emma Clifton and Simon Hurren. The promotions see Hurren become a private client tax partner building on his expertise in tax planning and personalised guidance for clients and he will continue to grow the private client service offering. Clifton has been promoted to business advisory partner in Ipswich after 20 years with the firm, while Cussons also becomes a business advisory partner in Diss after 12 years. Meantime, James Thurkettle has been promoted to corporate finance director and is a specialist in US GAAP audits.

Lubbock Fine has promoted private client tax specialist David Portman to partner. His career spans over 16 years of providing tax services to high net worth individuals, including sports players, entertainers and tech entrepreneurs. Portman has extensive experience of advising on UK tax matters for non-doms, including the transition to the UK’s new foreign income and gains system next year. He joined the firm in 2016 from Silver Levene.

Gerald Edelman has appointed three partners, Will Abell has been promoted internally, while Paul Twydell and Paul Attridge are external hires. They bring the number of partners to 22. Abell started at Gerald Edelman in 2016 after graduating from Newcastle University’s Flying Start programme in collaboration with PwC. He originally joined PwC in the assurance department in Cardiff, where he qualified as an ICAEW chartered accountant. He specialises in buy-side transaction advisory, financial due diligence, business valuations, IPO and capital markets support. Twydell brings a wealth of experience in corporate tax matters with over 20 years’ experience. He joins following a short career break after leaving Simmons Gainsford as partner at the end of 2023. Attridge has nearly two decades’ experience as a chartered tax adviser and trusts and estates practitioner working on tax matters for owner-managed businesses and high net worth individuals. He joins from Azets where he was a regional tax partner.  

Norfolk based M+A Partners has promoted Isobelle Webster to partner. This step is a reflection of her dedication, knowledge, and the significant and ongoing contributions she has made to the firm. Webster has undertaken senior roles within audit, corporate finance and most recently managing a portfolio of businesses ranging from sole traders to medium and large corporates, covering a wide range of industries with a particular focus on agriculture.

Azets has appointed Nick Cullen as a tax partner and UK head of the recently launched transfer pricing team. He has 15 years’ experience in delivering transfer pricing solutions for a range of clients from FTSE 100 companies to owner-managed businesses. He will build a transfer pricing team to include members located across the country and will be aiming to build awareness of the new offering both internally and externally. Previously he spent six years in a transfer pricing director development role at BDO, based in Leeds, and previously worked at PwC in a variety of tax roles.

robinson+co has promoted Matthew Welsh to partner at the Cumbrian firm bringing total partners to five. Currently an associate, Welsh is ACA-qualified and has been with the firm for almost a decade based at the Workington office. He is a VAT specialist and works with larger audit clients. As a partner he will contribute to the firm’s growth and continue delivering excellence to clients, especially after the recent acquisition of DHC Accounting.

PKF Francis Clark has promoted three new partners, private client tax specialist Sarah Brown, VAT expert Mark Bishop and auditor Rob Deare. Exeter-based Brown joined the firm in 2013 after training at KPMG. Her main focus is advising high net worth individuals and internationally mobile clients on a range of compliance and tax planning needs, including residence and domicile issues. Bishop is based in Plymouth, where he helps lead the VAT and customs team. An engineer by training, he worked in the electronics industry before spending 12 years at HMRC working in VAT compliance. Audit partner Rob joined the firm in 2013 as a graduate trainee, qualifying as a chartered accountant and chartered tax adviser before becoming a statutory auditor. Based in Exeter, he is responsible for advising a portfolio of predominantly owner-managed and family businesses.

Hall Morrice has appointed Chris Colville as a partner as part of the Aberdeen-based firm’s strategy to expand its range of services and strengthen its leadership team. Colville will be the first partner focusing solely on tax. He joined the firm in 2021 as tax director from Deloitte and has over 15 years of experience in tax compliance and advisory services. He works with clients across various sectors, including energy and renewables, property, construction, manufacturing and hospitality, and supports the firm’s digital transformation.

Mayer Brown has hired Sam Riesenberg as a partner in its tax practice in London, where he will focus on providing advice on asset management and fund matters across the US, Europe, and the Middle East. He joins from KPMG’s Washington national tax practice. He has significant experience with private credit, private equity, M&A, fund formation, infrastructure funds, investment structuring and tax issues involving asset management and operational activities.

BCLP has appointed Kyle O’Sullivan as a partner in its global tax advice and controversy team in the international law firm’s London office. He joins from Slaughter and May, where he was an associate. He will strengthen the firm’s M&A tax capability and has a strong background in the tax aspects of public and private M&A, group reorganisations, corporate financing and IP-related agreements. O’Sullivan has particular experience in the energy sector and has recently been on secondment at Vitol, a global energy and commodities companies, where he worked on tax planning, structuring M&A and other investments. 

Price Bailey has promoted Sarah Howarth, Simon Rowley, Stella Athanasiadou and Stephen Schmitt to directors. They will continue to work in the tax and corporate teams, across the London, Cambridge and Norwich offices. Each promotion above manager grade is board appointed and requires applicants to go through a formal process, including a detailed application form, business case and formal presentation to the executive board. Janice Clapson has promoted to senior manager, based in Cambridge, providing representation on regional and international business development. 

Dow Schofield Watts has promoted Dan Walker to director at its north west corporate finance team. He has advised on over 25 completed corporate transactions acting for both buyers and sellers of owner managed and private equity backed businesses. He also plays a central role in deal origination and internal operations within the team. He joined the firm almost seven years ago after qualifying as an accountant at KPMG.

Deloitte has hired three senior managers into its early careers recruitment team. Victoria Alcock has been appointed as head of talent engagement and has over 12 years’ experience in early careers recruitment. She joined the firm from EY’s student recruitment team, and previously held positions at Teach First. In her new role, she will focus on increasing Deloitte’s engagement with diverse talent pools and early identification of talent. Justin Fay, early careers recruitment senior manager, has joined the team from PwC and has 10 years’ expertise in student recruitment previously working for Arup and DLA Piper. Becky McVittie has been promoted to early career recruitment senior manager after joining the firm in 2022. She has 10 years’ experience from recruiting firms such as AmberJack Global and in-house roles at npower.

Johnston Carmichael Wealth has expanded into Dundee with the appointment of Lauren Whitters and Duncan Fernie as financial planners. They collectively have almost 25 years’ experience in the financial sector. Whitters specialises in savings and investments, inheritance tax mitigation and estate planning, and retirement planning. The wealth team now employs six members of staff in Dundee, with employee numbers in the wider Johnston Carmichael regional hub in the city up from three when it opened in 2019 to 40.

Larking Gowen has promoted James Nichols to director in the corporate audit and advisory team, based in the Ipswich office. He joined the firm in 2020 as a senior manager and his promotion demonstrates the firm’s dedication to nurturing talent and expansion of the business in the region. He will focus on delivering proactive solutions to clients, enhancing their experience with the firm beyond standard compliance services.

HWB Chartered Accountants has promoted Jenny Cull, Will Churcher and Brendon Reis to business advisors at the Chandler’s Ford based firm. Cull joined the firm as an 18-year-old school leaver in 2012 and qualified as a chartered accountant in 2017. She works across a variety of industry sectors, and is responsible for audit training and development. Churcher will focus on helping clients to develop while ensuring that they are compliant with reporting requirements. In addition, he will oversee the business services and innovation team which provides tax services. Reis started at HWB after he finished at Winchester University studying accounting and finance. His current responsibilities include acting for academy schools and corporate clients.

DSW Capital, the accountancy licence network and owner of the Dow Schofield Watts brand, has appointed Pete Fendall to the board as chief operating officer. He will also take over the role of interim chief financial officer in mid-May when Nicole Burstow, deputy CEO and CFO, leaves the business. Fendall joined DSW Capital in September 2021 to help facilitate the IPO and is currently business development & operations director and company secretary. He has led several initiatives to enhance the group’s licensee platform model and engages with licensees to help them identify ways in which DSW can add value and support their growth.