Azets UK announces raft of partner and director promotions

Azets has announced 213 promotions across its UK business, including 35 new partners and directors, and changes to the Azets UK leadership team.

New partners include Adrian Cousens (ABAS, based in Southampton), Alan Glen (VAT, Edinburgh), Andrew Fitton (Tax, Newcastle), Andrew Howells (Audit & Assurance, Cardiff), Chan Landa (ABAS, Coventry), Clair Williams (Tax, Newcastle), Claire Smailes (Tax, Newcastle), Lyndsey Camilleri (ABAS, Newbury), Miya King (Tax, Southampton), Richard Oddy (Restructuring, Leeds), and Vanessa Clark (Tax, Gloucester).

Meanwhile, Damien Russell has been appointed as Azets’ new UK chief people officer, replacing Helen Hall who, in a planned move, has taken a new strategic role heading up DE&I and ESG for Azets UK.

Partner Brian Laidlaw has also been head of North East, and Lee Meredith (Audit & Assurance, Wolverhampton) and Claire Hinshaw (Audit & Assurance, Newcastle) have been promoted to office managing partner. Mark Barrie (Hertford) has also been promoted to UK head of Debt Advisory.

Additionally, the 22 newly promoted directors are:

• In the South: Andrew Faulkner (Audit & Assurance, London), John Hiddleston (Tax, Heathrow), Kylie Bartlett (ABAS, Guildford), Matthew Rayner (Audit and Assurance, Maidstone), Nick Bryant (ABAS, Poole), Nicola Taylor (ABAS, Heathrow), and Paul Francis (Audit and Assurance, Poole).
• Central and West: Benjamin Griffin (ABAS, Gloucester), Marcus Nallon (Tax, Cardiff), Matthew Woodhead (Audit & Assurance, Nottingham), Peter Reed (Audit and Assurance, Gloucester), Richard Watkins (Audit and Assurance, Gloucester), Sally Taylor (ABAS, Wolverhampton), and Stephen Burke (Audit and Assurance, Gloucester).
• North West: Owen Myott (ABAS, Stockport).
• North East and Yorkshire: Becky Dawson (Technical Accounting, York), James Durham (ABAS, York), Kim Major (Tax, Leeds), Naveen Sahney (Tax, York), Sarah Simpson (Audit & Assurance, Newcastle), and Suzanne Layfield (Audit & Assurance, Durham).
• Scotland: Kirstin Crombie (Tax, Edinburgh), Rachael Weir (Risk Assurance, Glasgow), and Stephanie Hume (Risk Assurance, Inverness).

Peter Gallanagh, Azets UK chief executive officer, said: “I’m delighted to welcome a talented group of new partners and directors as part of more than 200 promotions across our UK business. We’re continually investing in our people and advisory rich services, and these appointments strengthen our breadth and depth of experience and expertise to help our clients achieve their ambitions.

“We’ve also made several promotions to corporate functions with a focus on operational efficiency, along with Damien Russell’s appointment to the Azets UK board as UK Chief People Officer. Damien is a highly effective leader who will continue to build our people strategy and drive cultural change, as we continue to be an agile, open, technology-led advisory business.

Gallanagh added: “Azets is a purpose-driven organisation that places inclusion at the heart of its values. In her new role leading DE&I and ESG, Helen Hall will be integral to bringing to life our DE&I and ESG ambitions as we recognise the importance of these areas and our role in being a responsible employer. This underlines our commitment to creating a fully inclusive environment and improving the lives of our colleagues, clients, and communities in a sustainable way.”