Bibby Financial Services has appointed Phil Tobin as managing director of trade and international as the firm looks to expand its focus on export in 2017. He previously held the role of head of operations for the firm’s construction finance team and prior to joining Bibby he worked for Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance as senior client manager and area director.

Stephen Grayson has joined UHY Hacker Young as a partner in the firm’s Manchester office audit department. He joins from Howard Worth where he was also a partner. Grayson has over 15 years’ experience in the accountancy profession, with a focus on auditing and advising SMEs. He brings with him specialist expertise in the education sector.

RSM has appointed Laragh Jeanroy and Paul Harris as partners in its East Anglian team. Jeanroy has joined the firm’s audit practice and is currently deputy president of the East Anglian Society of Chartered Accountants. Previously, she was head of audit at PEM and a partner at Grant Thornton and Robson Rhodes. Her experience ranges from small start-ups to multi-national groups and she has a particular specialism in the charities, technology and education sectors. Harris has joined the firm’s private client tax team after joining from Grant Thornton in Norwich. Prior to this he has worked for Smith & Williamson in Salisbury. His expertise lies in advising on wealth preservation and capital tax planning and his clients tend to be high net worth individuals including farmers and owners of landed estates as well as non-domiciliaries and their families.

Ruth Brennan has joined Kingston Smith as tax principal from BDO. She has experience in leading the delivery of corporate tax compliance and advisory services, covering all tax aspects of transactions, from due diligence to acquisition and disposal, as well as reporting and negotiation with HMRC.

Ivan Fowlie has joined MHA Carpenter Box as financial director after leaving Ericsson in Germany where, as head of business finance for western & central Europe, he was responsible for 17 countries. In his new role, he will oversee financial performance and statutory reporting and will develop business process improvements to streamline reporting and look at ways to further enhance the client experience.

George Hay Chartered Accountants has appointed Carol George to its Huntingdon office. George has worked in tax since 1987 and has spent 16 years working for HMRC as well as working in payroll both for accountancy bureaus and in-house payroll departments. She is an expert in PAYE and employee benefit tax issues and, as part of her new role, will specialise in dealing with personal tax issues on a daily basis.