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EY has reportedly drafted a shortlist of three partners who are in the running to become the firm’s next UK and Ireland managing partner.
According to Sky News, either managing partner for UK financial services Anna Anthony, UK&I assurance managing partner Kath Barrow, or Stuart Gregory, UK and Ireland managing partner, finance and transformation will be chosen to replace outgoing incumbent Hywel Ball.
If either of Anthony or Barrow are chosen it will mark the first time a woman has been elected to lead the company in the UK.
The ‘Big Four’ firm is also splitting the role of chair and managing partner for the first time under the new guidance from the Financial Reporting Council (FRC).
The decision will reportedly be made via an elected partner forum and a separate process will reportedly be launched to select a chair later this year.
An EY spokesperson told Accountancy Today: “We have exceptional leaders across our business and have a comprehensive process, run by our elected Partner Forum, to select the next EY UK and Ireland managing partner.”
The news comes after reports in June that Ball was set to step down from the role he has held since 2020. Ball has spent his whole career at EY since 1983 and was a strong supporter of Project Everest, the plan to split up EY’s consulting and audit arms.
However, the plan fell through last April as a result of infighting, despite the firm spending about $600m (£470m) preparing for it.
