Sumer has appointed Lindsey Tyler as group head of audit and a member of the executive committee, strengthening the firm’s audit expertise and senior leadership team. With over 20 years of experience, Tyler will lead Sumer Audit across England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. She brings a wealth of experience having advised businesses across property, technology, and distribution sectors, with expertise in strategic development, and leveraging innovation and technology to enhance audit quality. Previously she was national head of audit and a partner at Azets, after having originally trained at KPMG.  This appointment marks the latest stage in the development of Sumer Audit, which brings together 600 auditors across 12 regional hubs.

BDO has appointed Catherine Wilks, Adam Beasant and Ben Heaton as partners. Wilks joins the consulting, risk & outsourcing team and has more than 15 years’ experience in data analytics and digital transformation. She will advise businesses on the use of data, analytics and AI. Previously she was a client partner at technology consulting company Slalom. Beasant joins as an audit partner in the Reading office. He brings a wealth of experience from working with audited entities from early start-ups to mid-market businesses and FTSE 100 companies. Previously he was a director – assurance at PwC. Heaton joins the tax practice as a private client services partner based in London. He has over 15 years’ experience working across the financial services sector in the UK, US and APAC specialising in cross-border US tax compliance. He also joins from PwC where he was a private client tax director.

Forvis Mazars has appointed Raj Bhundia as a tax partner in the specialist tax services team in the London office. He will focus on growing the firm’s global mobility, business traveller risk, and employment tax services, and will be responsible for developing the short-term business traveller proposition. Bhundia has specialist expertise across global mobility, business traveller risk services and employment tax. He joins from EY where he was a partner in financial services, and led the short term business traveller and employment tax services teams within the EMEIA FS market.

Weightmans has appointed Donna Brennan as a partner in the private wealth team of the law firm based in Glasgow. Her appointment is part of plans to grow the firm’s private client practice in Scotland. Brennan specialises in complex private wealth matters, and advising on all aspects of succession planning, tax issues and the creation and management of trusts. Previously she was private client partner at Blackadders, and is Brennan is a member of the Society of Trusts and Estates Practitioners.

Hurst has appointed Zeeshan Merchant as a manager in the business services team and Joe Goscomb as an associate manager in the tax team. Merchant has nine years’ experience in audit and assurance work for listed and privately-owned businesses in the UK and Middle East. He joins from EY where he was an audit and assurance manager. The firm has also hired graduate, Sophie Christian, who graduated from the University of Exeter with a degree in maths and physics, then gained a master's degree from the University of Chester in maths.

 Goscomb was previously at KPMG where he spent five years in the corporate tax team. The latest graduate intake sees Matt Baldwin, Nick Hughes, Lydia Pearson, Will Tierney and Amy Williams join the business services team, while Will Hidrey joins as an apprentice in the digital transformation and outsourcing team, known as HOST, and will be studying for AAT qualifications. Danielle Tierney has been promoted to manager at Hurst Corporate Finance, having joined the firm in 2021 as a corporate finance executive from EY.

Johnston Carmichael has strengthened its financial services team with the appointment of Thuy Vo as audit director in Glasgow. She brings more than two decades of experience in audit and assurance, specialising in investment management, alternative investment funds, including real estate, private equity and venture capital trusts. Previously Vo was a director, audit and assurance, at Deloitte. The hire follows the recent appointment of Bryan Shepka as head of financial services.

Wright Vigar has announced a raft of promotions across the Midlands firm, including Nathan Bowles to associate director. Bowles joined the firm in 2010 from Moore Stephens in Manchester as a tax consultant, and is now an integral part of the tax team and a key contributor to the firm’s senior management, particularly in the areas of process standardisation and internal collaboration. A further 13 staff have been promoted across client service teams and support roles, underlining the firm’s commitment to nurturing talent at every level.

Andersen has appointed Robbie Wigley-Jones as partner and global mobility EMEA strategy & growth leader. He brings 38 years of experience in global mobility and specialises in advising on cross-border tax, international reward, pensions, social security, global mobility operating models and new-country entry. Previously, he was a partner at PwC until 2022, before becoming an angel investor after he left the Big Four firm.

All in Place has appointed Will Farnell as a part-time chief commercial officer advising the SaaS fintech business on its strategic direction, technology roadmap and route to market. Farnell recently merged his own accountancy firm with TC Group, and remains a partner at TC Farnell Clarke, a cloud-only accounting practice. Accountant Richard Brewin joins as a client director to support scale up plans, focused on client acquisition and onboarding at the online platform, which has ICAEW technology accreditation. He is the founder of ProgressBB, offering mentoring and coaching for accounting firm leaders and their teams.