KPMG has appointed Pukar Mehta to lead its media strategy team, part of the strategy group in the deal advisory business. Mehta rejoins the firm as a partner with 25 years’ experience, including 15 years at ITV, where he led non-US acquisitions and held senior roles including commercial director of ITV Studios and COO of production companies MultiStory Media and Twofour, both owned by ITV Studios. Previously, he worked at KPMG for eight years in the transaction strategy team and he specialises in strategy, M&A, operations and integration.

Old Mill has promoted Kathryn Mansell to head of corporate finance, responsible for leading and developing the corporate finance team and fostering key client relationships, focusing on the use of new technology. Mansell joined Old Mill a decade ago, starting her career in the Exeter commercial team with a focus on audit. Since qualifying, she has been a key member of the corporate finance team, steadily developing her expertise across a wide range of significant projects.

BDO has appointed two new partners, Steve Ringham and Andrew Orgill. Ringham joins as an audit partner in the Thames Valley and South West region, having built up over 20 years’ experience working in the sector. He will work with mid-market businesses with a focus on the consumer sector. He will be based in the Reading office and was previously a director at Deloitte. Orgill joins as a tax partner bringing a wealth of experience specialising in international corporate tax and advising large multinationals. He will be responsible for supporting IP-rich organisations in the technology, life science and consumer sectors, based out of the London office. He joins from EY where he was a director, international tax and transaction services.

S&W has appointed Vicki Weston as an indirect tax partner, further strengthening the firm’s fintech and financial services tax advisory capabilities. Weston, a chartered tax adviser, has over 20 years’ experience and specialises in advising financial services businesses, with a focus on high-growth fintech and crypto sectors, as well as M&A and real estate transactions. She joins from KPMG where she was a director in the fintech and crypto practice, and has also spent a year in-house at Barclays Bank.

HaysMac has appointed Dom Noakes as head of technology. He joined HaysMac’s business support team in 2016 as an assistant manager, before progressing through the ranks to his current role of director, where he brings extensive experience working with start-up, scaling and established small companies. He has been key in driving forward the firm’s use of cloud-based technology, and has also been pivotal in supporting the firm’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, being a voice and champion for change across the firm.

RPGCC has appointed John Black as audit partner and head of the natural resources & energy team. He brings a wealth of expertise in audit across listed companies and has specialist knowledge of the natural resources and energy sector in capital markets, with over 10 years’ experienec advising clients across the sector. Previously he was RI director at BDO.

Menzies has promoted four partners, Mike Ayres, financial services sector lead at the Farnborough office, Saumyanil Deb, transfer pricing service line lead in London, Martin Hamilton, retail sector lead who also heads up the firm’s accounts team in London, Australia desk and also plays an important role in the international team more broadly; and Matthew Watkins, tax disputes service line lead in the London office.

PwC has appointed Will Oxley as its market senior partner for Leeds, working across the full Yorkshire region. Oxley has been a partner with the firm for 10 years and will lead PwC’s efforts in Yorkshire, alongside more than 80 partners and directors and over 1,000 colleagues. As a partner in PwC’s deals practice, he has significant experience in the transaction services business, supporting clients across many sectors with a focus on built environment, including the construction, building products, building services and engineering segments. He will continue to work with his clients across these sectors.

Menzies has promoted four partners, Mike Ayres, financial services sector lead at the Farnborough office, Saumyanil Deb, transfer pricing service line lead in London, Martin Hamilton, retail sector lead who also heads up the firm’s accounts team in London, Australia desk and also plays an important role in the international team more broadly; and Matthew Watkins, tax disputes service line lead in the London office.

RSM has appointed Shannon Dowdles as a tax partner in its corporate tax team. She is a chartered tax adviser with over 20 years’ experience advising large businesses in the energy sector on domestic and international tax, including the UK Continental Shelf. She is based in RSM’s Aberdeen office and will support clients throughout the UK, advising on corporate tax issues including entry into the UK, tax provisioning and compliance, optimising tax attributes and incentives, tax implications of structuring and financing, tax governance and engaging with HMRC. Dowdles joins from EY where she was a partner. She has also worked at EY and in industry as a tax director for an international drilling company.

Leonard Curtis has appointed Paul Haworth as head of group compliance. He has a 20-year track record in the restructuring and turnaround sector and his brief is to ensure robust compliance advisory across the group. He will lead an experienced in-house compliance department, working closely with the company’s UK-wide restructuring and turnaround team, as well those in funding, legal and wider business services. Previously he was senior director, technical, risk and compliance at Kroll.

Quantuma has appointed Sarah Jarvie as a director to head up the new creditor services team. She is a restructuring and recovery specialist with a depth of experience in assisting clients who become creditors in insolvency proceedings, and will be based between the London and Watford offices. Previously she was head of credit services at MHA, having originally trained at KPMG.

KPMG International has appointed Steve Chase as global head of AI and digital innovation, continuing his role as vice chair, AI and digital innovation at KPMG in the US. He will spearhead efforts to scale AI-enabled client solutions and accelerate internal transformation across the global firm.

Larking Gowen has hired 30 trainees, including school leavers, graduates, and placement students, who will be based across the firm’s offices in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. They will be working towards qualifications in accountancy and taxation, and the programmes are designed to support long-term career development as well as professional qualifications and examinations, and will be given hands-on experience, coaching and support from experienced professionals, and exposure to a wide range of sectors. Pictured: Larking Gowen 2025 students