UNW appoints new senior manager
Naomi Townsend was previously a Corporate Finance manager at KPMG where she provided lead advisory services to businesses across the North
UNW has strengthened its Corporate Finance team with the appointment of Naomi Townsend (neé McDiarmid) as senior manager.
A native of the North East, Townsend studied Law at the University of Leeds before joining KPMG Newcastle in 2014, where she gained extensive experience across audit and corporate finance over seven years.
As a Corporate Finance manager at KPMG, she provided lead advisory services to businesses across the North, including on the sale of Visualsoft to Livingbridge, the investment by LDC in WCCTV, and the sale of Bloom Procurement to BGF – achievements that led to her being named “North East Emerging Dealmaker of the Year” in 2021.
In 2021, she joined mid-market private equity firm LDC as Investment Manager, supporting management teams across a broad range of sectors in the North East. Her work in the region was further recognised when she was named “Young Financier of the Year” at the North East Young Professionals Awards in 2022.
Her appointment follows a “standout” 2024 for UNW Corporate Finance, during which the team completed a number of high-profile deals, ranked among the region’s most active advisors, and won both “Transaction Services Team of the Year” and “Dealmaker of the Year” (Chris Wilson) at the North East Dealmakers Awards.
Her arrival also follows the recent move of ICAEW-qualified Jack McCullagh, who joined the Corporate Finance team as an executive in January after previously working in UNW’s audit department.
Regarding her appointment, Townsend said: “I’ve always admired UNW’s reputation – not just for the quality of its work but for how it supports its people. Having worked alongside the team in various capacities over the years, I could see firsthand how much trust clients place in them, and I’m excited to now be part of that.
“UNW has built a fantastic Corporate Finance team, and I’m looking forward to working with ambitious businesses across the region, helping them navigate their growth opportunities. I’m also really pleased to be working with Chris Wilson and Nick Broadhead again, having previously worked together at KPMG. This is an exciting new chapter for me, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Chris Wilson, partner and head of corporate finance at UNW, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome both Naomi and Jack to the team. Naomi’s extensive experience and proven track record in dealmaking – as both an advisor and an investor – will offer a unique perspective and provide immediate value to our clients. At UNW, we’ve consistently stated that we want to provide the highest quality advice to our clients and having the best and most experienced people is a big part of that strategy.
“We are also committed to creating opportunities for talent to develop and progress. Jack’s recent move from Audit to Corporate Finance is a great example of how the firm invests in its people and offers varied career paths. With Naomi and Jack on board, our team is stronger than ever as we head into another exciting and busy year.”
