KPMG bolsters legal services team with new hire

KPMG has appointed Isabel Ost as the new director of its legal services data protection team. She will be responsible for developing and leading the firm’s data protection practice. Prior to this, Ost spent eight years at Clyde and Co, where she developed its data protection offering and previous to that held an in-house role at BAE Systems Applied Intelligence (previously Detica). She will join the 130-strong legal services team in the UK, headed up by Nick Roome, and will be predominantly based out of the firm’s London office. Roome, head of Legal Services at KPMG in the UK, said: “We have been actively recruiting for new hires in recent months, and are pleased to welcome Isabel, who will play an important role in helping us expand our pool of expertise and services we offer. “Isabel brings deep knowledge and experience in the data protection market, and will continue to help us – as a firm – develop a more holistic approach to supporting clients with data and privacy issues which typically require a blend of legal and consulting capabilities.” Ost added: “KPMG has a strong cyber and privacy consultancy offering. So, as the firm’s legal services continue to grow, it makes sense to bring these teams even closer, providing a fully integrated service where clients can access exceptional legal advice. I’m looking forward to being part of the team and driving forward the firm’s work in this space.” It comes after the news of Carillion accelerating its efforts to bring a civil lawsuit against KPMG, as it prepares to mount a negligence claim over previous audits and sue the accountancy giant for £250m. According to the Financial Times, liquidators for the collapsed construction group are actively seeking a court order to obtain documents pertaining to the audits carried out between 2014 and 2016. Following the audits, a civil servant who oversaw the liquidation of Carillion has now claimed that the outsourcer’s board of directors believed the business was “profitable and sustainable” as a result of KPMG’s audit results. As a result of opinions arising from the series of audits, Carillion directors proceeded to pay out almost £250m in dividends and advisory fees over a two-year period. The claim was made public on 12 May following the submission of a court application to gain access to KPMG’s audit documents.

KPMG bolsters legal services team with new hire

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