BDO has appointed Mark Sykes as its new permanent head of consulting, effective immediately. Sykes, who has led the consulting practice in an interim capacity since July 2025, was previously an audit partner at the firm for over a decade, advising listed and growth businesses, particularly in the manufacturing, technology and retail sectors. In his career to date, he has also worked in industry, leading on large public sector IT outsourcing and transformation projects, including business modelling, benchmarking and commercial negotiations.

PKF Littlejohn has appointed Neil Shaw as a partner in its corporate & capital markets team based in Leeds. He brings over 12 years of technical audit experience and works with large and complex clients across a range of industries including renewable energy, technology and manufacturing. He will play a key role in growing the firm’s presence in Yorkshire following a number of recent hires and a move to new city centre offices. Shaw originally trained as an engineer and worked for engineering consultancy Arup, focusing on renewables and energy transition, before switching careers to audit at Deloitte, where he was most recently a director.

Deloitte Legal has appointed Nicola Brookes as a partner in its M&A and corporate team, based in Manchester. Brookes is an experienced M&A lawyer with a top-tier track record in both private practice and in-house. In the new role, Brookes will lead the firm’s healthcare industry focus and will draw on her transactional expertise, and experience managing in-house legal teams in global healthcare. Previously she was head of legal – Europe at private equity backed global healthcare business, Genesis Cancer Care UK. Before moving to the private sector, Brookes was a corporate partner at Eversheds Sutherland.

Forvis Mazars has appointed Nathan Reay as technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sector leader, and he will also lead the firm’s M&A team focusing on TMT activity. He also becomes a partner at the firm. His background is investment banking and he has 25 years’ experience in global strategy and M&A, spanning Hong Kong, Sydney and London. He joins from Grant Thornton where he was a partner, and previously spent nearly five years as managing partner at global boutique M&A firm, Modus Partners.

Armstrong Watson has expanded its tax team appointing Clare Lancaster as director in the private client tax team in Glasgow, Jane Greenwood as tax senior manager in Northallerton and David Rome as tax senior manager in the corporate tax team in Carlisle. Lancaster has more than 18 years’ experience supporting private clients and owner-managed businesses in areas such as capital gains tax, inheritance tax, and succession planning. Previously she was a senior tax manager at William Duncan & Co. Greenwood brings more than 30 years’ experience advising on private client tax matters, and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners and holds CIOT’s Advanced Diploma in international taxation. Chartered tax adviser and accountant Rome has 10 years’ experience advising businesses on complex corporate tax matters, including corporate debt and restructuring. Previously he was a tax senior manager at Johnston Carmichael. Pictured (l-r): Lancaster, Rome, Greenwood

Sumer Northern Ireland has appointed John Clark as a manager in the innovation tax relief team. He has a scientific background in microbiology, molecular biology and public health with industry experience in the agri-food sector. He will focus his technical expertise to identify qualifying R&D and Patent Box claims across a wide range of industries. Previously he was an innovation funding consultant at Visiativ, and also spent three years working as a microbiologist at pharma giant Randox.

SBP Accountants & Business Advisers has appointed Claire Henderson as a manager at the Fraserburgh office to enhance local leadership and client support. Previously she was a business advisory manager at Johnston Carmichael. The firm has also expanded the Aberdeen team with a senior accountant, accounts assistant, and apprentice hires.

Baines Jewitt has appointed Danny Stubbs as an audit and accounts senior and school leaver Jamie Myers as a trainee accounting technician. Stubbs is a qualified ACA chartered accountant, and joins from EY where he was an audit senior having trained at the Big Four firm, where he worked with local government and public sector departments, including councils, universities and police bodies.

EY has appointed Sue Kench as a global independent non-executive (INE) and member of the firm’s global governance council. In this role, Kench will advise the EY global executive on policies, strategies and the public interest aspects of its decision-making. She brings nearly 30 years of senior leadership experience from King & Wood Mallesons, one of Asia’s largest international commercial law firms, where she was a partner and immediate past global chief executive.

Senior leadership shake-up at ICAEW

ICAEW has strengthened the senior leadership team with three appointments, Louise Coleman as chief membership officer, Dana Day as chief learning officer and Laetitia Rennie as chief brand and marketing officer. Coleman will lead the development and implementation of the Institute’s global membership strategy and starts in mid November. She brings more than 20 years’ experience across the financial, legal and media sectors, most recently as global head of customer success and service delivery at Fitch Solutions. Day will join in January 2026 to lead lifelong learning provision for students and members. This includes the ongoing development of the ACA qualification, pathways to membership, CPD opportunities and new qualifications. She brings 25 years of experience from the education and financial sectors and is currently managing director, global partnerships & business development at CFA Institute, the global association of investment professionals. Rennie will lead the brand and marketing strategy to drive student and member engagement, retention and growth, and is currently chief marketing & creative officer at London Business School.