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Darren Graves has been appointed as the next senior partner and chief executive of Deloitte UK, following a confirmatory vote by the firm’s partners.
Graves will assume the role on 1 June 2026, succeeding Richard Houston, who is moving to lead the newly established Deloitte EMEA division.
Having joined the firm as a graduate in 2001, Graves previously served as a partner in M&A tax and led the UK transactions tax team.
His most recent role involved serving on the North and South Europe (NSE) executive committee as managing partner for tax and legal.
His appointment comes at a period of structural change for the firm, which is also scheduled to appoint a new UK chair and board next month.
The transition marks the conclusion of Richard Houston’s tenure as UK and NSE chief executive.
Under the new leadership, the firm intends to focus on client service delivery during a period of market complexity while addressing internal initiatives for the next generation of staff.
Graves’ background in tax and legal executive roles across Europe is expected to support the UK firm’s integration within the wider EMEA network.
In his new role, he will oversee the firm’s response to evolving regulatory requirements in the audit and advisory sectors, while managing the UK firm’s contribution to the global network’s tax and legal service lines.
Outgoing senior partner and chief executive Houston said: “I am pleased that Darren will be our next UK CEO. His experience as a leader in the UK and across North and South Europe gives me confidence that the UK firm will continue to lead in the market. I am looking forward to working with him and seeing the impact of the UK firm in Deloitte EMEA.”
Graves added: “I am to become CEO of Deloitte UK. My focus will be to ensure we continue delivering value to our clients by helping them navigate complexity and to reinvent our firm for the next generation. I am committed to ensuring Deloitte remains a place where everyone can thrive and access the same opportunities that have shaped my own career.”
