Armstrong Watson appoints new Audit and Assurance partner

Armstrong Watson has bolstered its Yorkshire audit team with the appointment of Steve Williams as Audit and Assurance partner. Williams has joined the firm after 10 years with TC Group, where he was an Audit partner. Prior to that, he worked for RSM and KPMG. Having worked in audit and assurance for more than 20 years, his experience ranges from audits of FTSE 100 companies to family, owner-managed and private equity-backed businesses. He has also worked with clients in the not-for-profit and education sectors and has “extensive” international experience, having worked with large UK headquartered groups with global operations as well as overseas-owned UK subsidiaries. In his new role, he will provide audit and assurance services to the firm’s owner-managed and family business client portfolio, along with general client service offering across all disciplines, while assisting partners Matt Osbourne, Simon Turner and Rohan Day to run the Yorkshire audit practice. Armstrong Watson said his appointment comes after audit director Huw Nicholls joined the Leeds office in 2023, and follows the promotion of audit partner Steve Preston. It added it was “another key milestone” in the development of the audit team, which is going through a sustained period of growth. It also follows an “exceptional year of growth” for the audit team in Yorkshire, which saw turnover increase by 33% in 2023. Williams said: “I am thrilled to join Armstrong Watson's Yorkshire practice at an exciting time of growth for the firm. Armstrong Watson is the largest independent in the North of England and has a great reputation for big firm quality combined with local delivery across the SME market in which I have worked for the last 15 years. I am looking forward to working with our exceptional team and continuing to deliver high-quality services to all our existing and new clients.” Matt Osbourne, Audit and Assurance partner and head of Armstrong Watson’s Leeds office, said: “Having worked with Steve previously and having known him for a number of years, I know that he is one of the best advisers to privately-owned businesses in the Yorkshire market today. “I’m tremendously excited by Steve's appointment and I’m certain that he will be a great addition to both the Armstrong Watson audit team, as we continue to grow, and also our clients, as we continue to support them in achieving their strategic objectives.” CEO and managing partner Paul Dickson added: “We are delighted to welcome Steve to the team. He will be taking the lead on our strategy for the education, charities and not-for-profit sectors to look at how we enhance our proposition to those sectors to bring greater value to our clients. “His vast experience, particularly with owner-managed and family businesses in the Yorkshire area, will help us to continue to deliver for our clients and will contribute further to our growth in the Yorkshire market.”