UHY Hacker Young has promoted Chris McKain to partner and Hannah Kasem to director in the tax advisory team in the Nottingham office. McKain has been with the firm for more than 10 years and his work focuses on audit, assurance and due diligence for not-for-profit clients, including sporting bodies, owner-managed businesses and larger corporate groups across the East Midlands. Kasem is a chartered tax adviser and trust and estate practitioner who originally joined the firm as a graduate trainee in 2016. She advises a wide range of clients including owner-managed businesses and high-net-worth individuals, on corporate and private client tax planning.

Mazuma has appointed Becky Glover as chief financial officer, a new role for the business. Glover joins the female-founded accounting business with more than 20 years of experience built across biotech, software and insurance businesses, most recently as director of finance & technology at Yutree Insurance. She is also a board member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), vice chair of the ACCA financial services sector panel and helped found Connexion Career Collective, a community supporting women working in male-dominated industries. Pictured: Becky Glover and Lucy Cohen

Azets has appointed Chris Jenkins as office managing partner of the Swansea office, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to invest in growth and specialist capability across Wales. The dual qualified chartered accountant has been with Azets for two years, and has broad experience managing several international businesses and providing advisory support to inward-investing companies and owner-managed businesses. Previously he was a director at Oakwell Pro, and prior managing director of Argip Technologies. He started his career at PwC.

Moore Kingston Smith has made a series of partner and director promotions. Amar Shah, John Williams, Maverall Reynolds, Rob Kersse and Will McMullan become partners. Shah is a general practice partner with expertise spanning audit, tax and strategic advisory. Williams, partner in the employment tax services team, advises start-ups, public sector organisations and large corporates on compliance and advisory matters. Reynolds is a financial services partner specialising in statutory audit and audit-related services for regulated and non-regulated entities in the financial services space. Kersse is a general practice partner with extensive experience across diverse sectors, including media, marketing services, professional firms and technology. McMullan is a corporate audit partner and specialises in leading large and complex audits, often involving overseas components. Director promotions include Mel Lambell in business outsourcing, Matt Earl and Jules Upton in general practice, Benjamin Ocquaye in IT assurance, Harry Dronfield in legal and Alan Booth in financial planning.

MHA has appointed Andy Quinn as banking & finance director in the southeast, working across the London, Maidstone and Gatwick offices, supporting clients in securing banking services. He joins from Allica Bank where he was a sales manager and has over 20 years of experience in corporate and commercial banking, which also includes senior roles with Santander and Allied Irish Bank.

PKF Smith Cooper has made senior promotions across multiple service lines. Adam Zaman is promoted to corporate tax director and Matt Doherty and Nick Skidmore to senior corporate tax managers. In the business recovery and restructuring team Kieran Marshall is promoted to senior manager and Keith Wilson to manager. Joe Anderson has been promoted to corporate finance manager, Deniss Sipovics to senior transaction and advisory services manager, Tony Chamberlain to senior VAT and indirect taxes manager and Lee Arrowsmith to senior audit manager. Tom Ainsworth and Georgie Atherton become managers in the audit team.

HWB Chartered Accountants has hired six trainees as the firm aims to grow its own talent to counter skills shortages. The trainees include accounts and audit trainee Dalbir Bhullar, a graduate who did his placement year with the firm’s payroll team, Tom Stanley (tax assistant), Tom Watson (accountant), Sophie Murray-Cousens (payroll administrator) and Charlie Hodgson (accounts AAT). Also among the starters is marketing administrator Olivia Bryant, who will do a marketing qualification. The Southampton-based firm has allocated the cohort across different service lines to work with experienced staff and progress their skills and learn while working.

Quantuma has appointed Chris Lewis as managing director in the restructuring and insolvency team in the west Midlands and promoted Alyson Richards to director in the Southampton office. Restructuring specialist Lewis brings more than 20 years of experience and is a qualified chartered accountant and licensed insolvency practitioner. He is highly experienced in restructuring assignments with a particular focus on SMEs and will be based in the Birmingham office. Lewis joins from RSM where he was a restructuring advisory director, having originally trained at the firm. Richards has more than 20 years’ experience in corporate restructuring and personal insolvency, and has advised on a wide range of insolvency procedures, including liquidations, administrations, company and individual voluntary arrangements, and bankruptcies.

Blick Rothenberg CEO Nimesh Shah has been appointed chair of the global executive board of Allinial Global, the member-based association for independent accounting and consulting firms. Shah joins an outstanding group of leaders bringing deep expertise, diverse perspectives, and a shared commitment to shaping the future of global accountancy community.

ETC Finance has appointed Lana Gasimova as head of business development at the London based financial consultancy specialising in the hospitality sector. She brings five years of hospitality experience and will focus on deepening client relationships and enhancing the firm’s commercial approach. Previously she was a sales manager at Hilton Hotels & Resorts.

US Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) has appointed William Ryan as acting director of the division of enforcement and investigations. In this role, he will oversee and direct the PCAOB’s investigations and enforcement of violations of its accounting rules, professional standards, and applicable securities regulations. Previously he was chief counsel in the enforcement division since 2023 and has been with the regulator for nearly 20 years, including as division deputy director. Ryan succeeded Robert E Rice, who retired at the end of December.