This week’s career moves sees Grant Thornton hiring head of forensic investigations, partner promotion at Saffery Champness, EY and French Duncan, and in the corporate world RBS Group creates new role of director of finance appointment ETX Capital changes CFO
Grant Thornton has appointed Barry Dean as head of forensic investigations for the public sector. Dean rejoins the firm where he first qualified, bringing with him knowledge and experience covering both local and central government, NHS, social housing and education, both further and higher. He has experience working for regulators, presenting on fraud risks and leading on counter fraud training.
Kenny McDowell joins Saffery Champness as partner, with over 20 years’ experience in providing advice to clients in the not-for-profit and commercial sectors throughout Scotland. McDowell was a partner in an Edinburgh accountancy practice for 12 years and has specialist experience in FRS 102, charities SORP and micro reporting developments as a member of a number of national committees.
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group has announced the appointment of Katie Murray as director of finance, a newly created role which reports directly to the bank’s chief financial officer, Ewen Stevenson. Murray takes over from financial controller Rajan Kapoor, who is retiring after 27 years’ service, and is currently group finance director at Old Mutual Emerging Markets, based in Johannesburg.
ETX Capital has appointed Andrew Woolley as CFO, succeeding Marcus Scarlett. Woolley was previously managing director of the international payments division of Moneycorp and prior to that CFO of Travelex Global Business Payments, having trained with PwC.
EY has appointed Omar Ali as UK financial services leader. He replaces Chris Price, who has taken a role leading EY’s global people advisory services. Ali was previously UK banking and capital markets leader, a position he has held since January 2012. He joined EY in 2001, becoming partner at the age of 29 in 2006, having begun his career in banking at Natwest, before turning entrepreneur during the dot com era. He co-founded TheRumour, a payments and lifestyle start-up, with one of the earliest e-wallet mechanisms in the UK.
Charles Bowman, a senior partner at PwC, has been elected as a Sheriff of the City of London, with a remit to help promote London as a leading global centre for financial and professional services. Bowman is a senior corporate reporting partner and leads PwC's building public trust programme. He is also chairman of the audit quality forum and a member of the advisory council of the Prince of Wales’ accounting for sustainability project.
The Insolvency Practitioners Association (IPA) has named Ruth Duncan of RNF Business Advisory as its next deputy vice-president. Duncan is expected to go on to become IPA president in April 2017, its third female head.
French Duncan has promoted director Harry Linklater to partner. Linklater joined the firm in 2011, having held various advisory roles within Big Four and mid-tier firms, as well as having worked within the banking sector.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that Michael Liftik will become a deputy chief of staff of the US regulator. Liftik became senior advisor to chair Mary Jo White in April 2013, serving as the legal advisor on enforcement policy matters and cases. He also serves as the chair’s representative on the deputies committee of the financial stability oversight council, having previously practiced law at firms in San Francisco and Boston. Liftik replaces Erica Williams and joins Nathaniel Stankard, who serves as the other deputy chief of staff of the agency.
