KPMG UK to merge Deals and Consulting arms

KPMG UK has announced it will combine its Consulting and Deal Advisory arms to create a new practice called Advisory.

The firm said the combined business simplifies its organisational structure and “better meets KPMG UK’s client needs with an ‘end-to-end’ service under one roof”.

It added that the combination is already working successfully in other KPMG member firms and aligns to KPMG’s multi-disciplinary model, “enabling its people to access greater professional development and broader experience”. 

The new Advisory business will be led by Lisa Fernihough and will start serving existing and new clients from 1 January 2024.

Fernihough first joined KPMG in 1988 as a graduate in its Minneapolis office and worked for the firm in Switzerland and London before leaving to set up her own business. She returned to the firm in 2011 as a partner in its financial services practice and later led the consulting function for the division, also leading on one of its biggest accounts. 

In recognition of her contribution to the industry, she won a Lifetime Achievement award at the Management Consultancies Association’s awards earlier this month. She is also currently the firm’s chief people officer. 

Karl Edge will take over the role of chief people officer and will join the firm’s UK executive committee.

Suzanne Shenton, who leads the firm’s internal Business Services and Transformation practice, will step down from that committee to focus on the delivery of EMpowered, a new digital transformation project. 

Jon Holt, CEO and senior partner at KPMG UK, said: “Our new Advisory practice will bring together our consulting and deals expertise to provide a great service for our clients. Lisa is the perfect person to lead this important business for us. She is an outstanding leader and brings to the role a huge depth of experience, having advised on many of the biggest transformation projects in the market.”

Fernihough added: “Our new Advisory business brings the best of our talent together for our clients. To lead this team is an honour and one I am relishing because I know how transformative this will be, not only for our clients in bringing them a simpler, more effective service, but because of the development and career opportunities it will bring to our people.

“We are at our very best when we collaborate, and our new Advisory capability will allow us to focus on delivering for clients by supercharging collaboration across our teams. I am excited to lead this new capability and build on the great leadership from both areas to date.”