Sumer has appointed Ellie Dignam as national head of accountancy & business advisory services, as the group continues to strengthen its national leadership team. In her new role, chartered accountant Dignam will work closely with the private equity backed group’s regional hubs and national leadership teams to help shape the future of the accountancy and business advisory proposition, with a focus on innovation, operational excellence, technology and client experience. Previously she was a partner and head of digital finance at BHP, part of Sumer Group, where she originally trained.

PKF Channel Islands has promoted Kerry Emblem to tax partner, and Nicholas James to audit partner. Emblem brings more than 20 years’ experience in private client taxation, advising high net worth individuals, family offices and trustees on international tax, trust structuring and estate planning matters with a focus on international and cross-border issues. James has more than 15 years’ experience in audit and assurance across Jersey, Guernsey and South Africa. He leads complex audit engagements across a range of sectors, with significant experience in the offshore financial services industry.

Simmons Gainsford, part of the Sumer Group, has appointed Valery Montagnon-Jones as OMB private client tax partner. She brings over 20 years’ experience with a focus on tax for high net worth private clients and owner managed businesses, and is also a family expert witness. In her new role, she will focus on developing the firm’s OMB tax capability. Previously she was a director – private client tax, at Brebners.

S&W has appointed Ed Gibson as a partner in its business tax practice in Manchester. Gibson is an international tax specialist with nearly 25 years’ experience advising companies on a wide range of international tax matters, including international expansion, cross border financing, business restructuring, transactions and international tax compliance. He joins from BDO where he was an international tax partner. Before that, he spent 20 years at Deloitte, including five years as a partner.

Johnston Carmichael has promoted Keith Hamilton, to partner in recognition of his leadership as chief legal officer and head of governance, risk & compliance. Hamilton joined the firm in January 2023 and has become a trusted adviser to the board and senior leadership, holding key officer roles including for money laundering reporting, data protection and whistleblowing. Six staff have been promoted to director, Natalie Robertson, Suzanne Harrold, Kim Lawrie, Chris Dick and Michael Larg in the business advisory team, and Calum Purdie in the technology & life sciences team. Pictured: Mark Hourston and Lynne Walker with newly promoted team

Blu Sky Accounting has confirmed Chrissie Krappe will work on a fully remote basis after her recent appointment as managing director, rather than being based in the Newcastle head office. She took over from Jo Dudgeon earlier this year, who has stepped aside to focus on scaling the B-Corp certified firm through targeted mergers and acquisitions. Krappe will run the business fully remotely from Oxfordshire, in line with the firm’s cloud-based approach to business, overseeing operations, team performance and client delivery across the firm’s UK-wide client base.

Isio has appointed Dan Thomas as chief executive officer at the pension and wealth management advisory firm. He brings more than two decades of leadership experience spanning professional services, consulting, outsourcing, and growth transformation, with a particular focus on banking and large corporate clients. Currently he is a senior advisor to a number of private equity firms and portfolio companies, and previously spent over 16 years at KPMG where he was a partner and head of markets, and a member of the executive committee.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has named Bev White as chair-designate, taking over as chair later in the year after confirmation at the organisation’s AGM next month. White is executive chair of recruitment specialists  Harvey Nash & Crimson, and will take over from Michelle Mellor, who is stepping down in October after three years in the role at the trade association for talent, staffing and recruitment businesses. In her new role, White will focus on making sure the recruitment industry’s voice is not only heard but acted on, and support members to navigate a fast-moving and hugely important time for the sector.