BDO has made four senior appointments to strengthen its growing tax practice. David Ellis, a global employer services partner, becomes the new lead for people on BDO’s tax executive board which sets, monitors and drives the strategy for the firm’s tax practice. Julia McCullagh takes on a new role as the firm’s national lead for corporate international tax services. Meanwhile, David Britton becomes the new national lead for UK corporate tax compliance and Michelle Wilson is appointed as the national lead for audit of tax. All four are partners at the firm.

Milsted Langdon has promoted Ben Branson to tax partner as part of its strategic growth plan. A chartered tax adviser, he focuses primarily on in international taxation and UK residency and domicile issues for private clients, partnerships, estates, and both onshore and offshore trusts. He is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and a Fellow of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

Saint & Co has promoted Alex Dent to head of tax at the Cumbrian based accounting firm. Having been made a partner last year, Dent continues to progress within the industry and will oversee the firm’s tax operations following her promotion.

RSM has appointed partner Alex Tait as its new national head of risk and governance with a mandate to accelerate growth and strengthen the firm’s wider consulting advisory services. He trained and qualified with RSM, reaching partner in 2006, and then led the Scotland and Northern Ireland region from 2018. Rob Bayliss has been hired as a financial modelling partner in the deal services team within consulting. He has over 20 years’ experience in financial modelling, including strategic planning, forecasting and budgeting, and joins from Grant Thornton where he led the financial modelling service line. Lynsey Cooper CTA CA joins the firm as a partner, responsible for growing and developing the corporate tax offering in the south, based out of Reading. Previously she was a tax director at PwC and has over 20 years’ experience.

PwC continues to invest in its deals practice with the appointment of Charles Chang as partner in the corporate finance team in the London office. He brings over 20 years’ experience and will focus on software M&A in the mid-market, increasing PwC’s coverage in this key sector which has seen significant growth over recent years. Chang joins from advisers Arma Partners, where as managing director he played a key role in the sale of large software companies to private equity firms, international strategic acquirers, and in portfolio acquisitions for his clients.

Knill James has promoted Jamie Bird to tax partner. He joined the firm in 2015 and has over 15 years’ experience in tax and accounting. Initially training as an accountant, he then specialised in private client tax. He now advises clients on all aspects of taxation relating to their personal tax affairs, ranging from income tax, capital gains tax and inheritance tax, to trusts, family investment companies and employee share schemes.

AAB has appointed Glasgow-based Phil Dunn as restructuring & recovery director, bringing over 20 years’ restructuring experience at three of the Big Four firms. He possesses a wealth of expertise in finding solutions for distressed SMEs, sole traders, and private individuals, focusing on the restructuring process, including safeguarding jobs and preserving businesses. Dunn joins from Interpath Advisory, formerly KPMG, where he was an associate director.  

Crowe has bolstered its forensics team with the appointment of Alex Houston as a partner. He has over 10 years of experience as a forensic accountant, with particular expertise in expert witness matters in the context of litigation and commercial and international arbitration. In his new role, Houston will focus on the disputes market, acting as an expert advisor, witness or determinator, and will enhance the firm’s expert witness services. Previously he was a director at Mazars.

Armstrong Watson has strengthened its senior accounting team in Yorkshire with the promotion of Sally Jones to accounting director after starting out as a trainee at the firm. It has also made two external hires with David Jones coming on board as an accounting director, and Tim Crawley as a company secretarial senior. They will all be based at the Leeds office. Jones joins from MTS Group where he was finance director, while Crawley is experienced in setting up thousands of limited companies having worked at York Place for more than 20 years as a senior formations agent.

Baines Jewitt has appointed Jenny Grist as a tax manager at the northeast accountancy firm. As a specialist in trusts, estates and inheritance tax, she brings a wealth of tax experience to her new role and is ACCA and AAT qualified. Grist will be working with business clients and the firm’s financial services team, providing personal tax advice to individuals. Part of her new role will involve working more closely with local law to create a greater synergy between legal and accountancy work, to build up a ‘one-stop-shop’ for clients. She joins the firm from an unnamed regional accountancy practice.

Kingsley Napley LLP has promoted four new partners, Jemma Brimblecombe, Jemma Garside, Andy Norris and Katherine Pymont. Brimblecombe specialises in dispute resolution and commercial litigation. She acts for both claimants and defendants in a wide range of sectors, including accountancy and financial services. Garside is a private client partner, and specialises in Court of Protection matters, Andy Norris is an experienced employment lawyer while Pymont specialises in private wealth disputes relating to trusts and estates both onshore and offshore. This brings the total number of partners to an all-time high of 87, of whom 43 (49%) are women.

Alvarez & Marsal has appointed Tom Jack as managing director in the financial and operational restructuring team in the firm’s Manchester office. He will work with a diverse range of stakeholders to protect and maximise value, drive profitable growth, and enhance employment and investment prospects, as well as taking board appointments as a chief restructuring officer. Previously he was a partner at private equity firm Endless LLP and a partner at EY, where he was head of regions for the EY’s UKI restructuring practice. Meanwhile, Virginie Gasnier has been hired as a managing director in the EMEA debt advisory practice in Paris. As a fluent French and Spanish speaker, Gasnier will work across the firm’s offices in Paris, Geneva, Madrid and Barcelona. She joins from Natixis Partners where she was a managing director in debt advisory transactions.

The Pensions Regulator has appointed Andrew Baigent FCA as chief operating officer while Paul Neville has been made permanent executive director of digital, data and technology after being in the role on an interim basis since last October. Both will join the board and executive committee. Baigent is a chartered accountant and has over 25 years’ experience in senior financial roles. He joins from HM Courts & Tribunals Service where he is chief financial officer. Previously he was finance director at the Department of Health.

CharterGroup, a global alliance of chartered accountancy and law firms, has appointed Jon Lisby as a non-executive director on the board. He is currently founder and head of specialist consultancy firm, Global Alliance Advisory Services, which he set up to support international accounting networks. Lisby was also CEO of Kreston International network until 2018.

Insurance firm Inshur has hired Clayton Carol as its first chief financial officer (CFO). He brings a wealth of experience and expertise in financial management and strategic leadership include building high-performing teams, strategic business planning, board and investor relations, and debt and equity financing. He will be based at the New York office of the group, which also has offices in London and the Netherlands. Previously he was VP of finance at fintech mortgage company, Better.