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EY has appointed Karen Kirkwood as the new office managing partner at its Bristol office to lead and continue its growth in the South West and Wales region.
She takes over the reins from Andrew Perkins, who has successfully completed a four-year tenure in the role.
Kirkwood joined EY in 2014 as head of Tax for the South West and Wales, based in the Bristol office, to lead growth in the tax team.
She has over 25 years’ experience providing a broad range of tax services to a diverse portfolio of clients including mid-market, listed and privately-owned businesses in London and the South West and Wales.
In her new role, she inherits a growing full-service team, which includes in recent years the addition of specialists in turnaround and recovery and M&A. As well as continuing to lead the growth of the business in the South West and Wales, she takes on responsibility for people, brand and client activities, including a focus on building links with the local community and key private and public sector stakeholders across the region.
She will also continue to lead the growth of the tax practice at EY in the South West and Wales. In the last few years, EY in Bristol has increased its headcount by in excess of 20%, to over 400 people, across a variety of areas.
Kirkwood said: “I’m really excited to be taking over as Office Managing Partner for EY’s Bristol office. I’d like to thank Andrew for his incredible work leading the team over the last four years. He’s done a fantastic job in building resources here in the South West and Wales and developing key relationships with businesses across the region.
“I’m inheriting a highly skilled and agile team, who remain committed to building a better working world with client centricity at the very heart of everything that we do.”
She added: “We have ambitions to further build our brand within the local market. Together with a focus on the Private market space, where we already work with a range of innovative, well respected businesses, headquartered in the region, our focus will be on continuing to support the region’s exceptional SME base to explore the new markets.
“There are also opportunities for us to leverage and expand across sectors including in the energy, manufacturing, fintech and logistics industries.”
