Wbg has appointed two directors to its Glasgow office, Alison Webster in business advisory services and Peter Clark joins the internal audit team. Previously Webster was a director with Azets and has over 27 years’ experience of working in a practice environment. She will play an instrumental role in helping the growth and development of the department across all locations. Clark has more than 10 years of internal audit experience across industry and practice, most recently as head of internal audit at Newcross Healthcare Solutions. He started his career at Deloitte, before moving to Grant Thornton.

PwC has appointed partner Iain Alexander as health services sector leader. He has over 20 years’ experience at the firm, and more than 17 years working in healthcare, specialising in financial improvement. He has worked on some of the highest profile financial turnaround projects in the NHS as  well as undertaking three secondments into NHS organisations as interim CFO and turnaround director, including at Cambridge and Kings. Alexander is also one of PwC’s partner mental health advocates and was the partner sponsor for the firm’s participation in the annual Movember event to raise awareness of men’s health issues.

KPMG has appointed Scott Flynn as global head of audit, taking over from Larry Bradley, who will retire in March 2025. Flynn will take up the role in April and is currently head of the US firm’s audit practice and has more than 30 years’ experience working across audit. In the four years leading the US audit practice, he has been instrumental in transforming its audit approach, quality and control systems, and usage of people and technology. He also has strong international experience from three years working in Asia and leading the US GAAP and risk management teams at the Chinese firm’s Shanghai office.

Spencer Gardner Dickins has hired Demsey Slater as a director in the audit team. He brings expertise in audit technology, implementation of AI driven efficiencies and  data analytics. Slater, who was only 21 when he achieved his professional ACCA qualification, will strengthen the audit team at the Coventry based firm. Previously he was a partner, audit and accounting at Ellacotts Accountants.

PKF Smith Cooper has appointed Megan Jones as employment tax senior manager in the Birmingham team. Jones is an employment tax specialist with over seven years of experience, who spent the first five years of her career at HMRC, before moving into private practice. In her new role, she will provide monthly and annual compliance support to clients, and risk reviews.

Saint & Co Chartered Accountants has expanded the audit team with the appointment of Tom Page and Yasir Saeed as audit managers and Viraj Naik as an audit senior. Page will work closely with a range of clients with full responsibility for the auditing from start to finish. He has returned to his native Cumbria after working as an assistant manager in the large and complex audit department at Deloitte in Manchester. Saeed brings a wealth of experience of working internationally, particularly in the Middle East, and joins from PwC where he was also an audit manager. Naik also has experience of working at a firm in the Middle East after completing his studies in India before relocated to the UK.

The Securities & Exchange Commission has confirmed that Mark T. Uyeda has been named as acting chairman following major changes at the US regulator. This is a presidential appointment. Uyeda has been a commissioner at the SEC since 2022, and a member of the SEC staff since 2006. Former chair Gary Gensler resigned from the agency on 20 January after three years in post. Samuel Waldon has been appointed as acting director of the division of enforcement and Jeffrey Finnell as acting general counsel.