Mazars has appointed Sarah Lord as a financial planning partner in its London office. She joins from Kilik and Co. where she was responsible for the integration of financial planning with the investment management business. She has also previously worked for Walkers Crisps, PIFC and has run her own consultancy business. Lord is a chartered and certified financial planner and a fellow of the personal finance society with over 12 years’ experience of working with Private Clients on their personal and family affairs. She is a Board member of the Personal Finance Society, a member of the Insurance Institute of London Council and also a member of the Insurance Institute of London – Financial Services Committee.

Sarah Boyes has joined Moore Stephens as a senior executive to strengthen research and development in the Midlands region. She will be working with Moore Stephens’ tax team in the Midlands to achieve successful R&D tax relief claims for organisations. Boyes is a qualified mechanical engineer with more than 20 years of experience in the sector. She joins following 17 years as a product and manufacturing engineer with Alcoa Fastening Systems and Stadco, and most recently three years with a boutique R&D tax claim firm.

Tom Bell, an audit and accounts manager from BHP, has been appointed as the new president of the ICAEW West Yorkshire and York. At 29 he will become the youngest ever president of the organisation. He trained as an accountant at Clough & Company (now part of BHP) seven years ago and manages a portfolio of accounts for sole traders through to SMEs, as well as working for several not for profit and charitable organisations throughout York. He was president of the Bradford Student Society of Chartered Accountants from 2015 to 2016 and part of the ICAEW Student Council from 2015 to 2016.

Sir Christopher Kelly has been appointed as the new non-executive member of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). He will take over from Dame Kate Barker and will join non-executive member Lord Terry Burns in overseeing the governance and independence of the OBR. Previously Kelly has had many roles in the Treasury and the Department of Social Security, ending his civil service career as Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health between 1997 and 2000.

Lord Boswell of Aynho has been reappointed as Principal Deputy Chairman of Committees by the House of Lords, and will chair the European Union Committee. Lord Boswell has chaired the EU Committee since May 2012. He has previously served as a Conservative MP from 1987 to 2010, before joining the House of Lords in July 2010.