Armstrong Watson payroll chief receives national recognition

Karen Thomson, head of payroll at Armstrong Watson, has been recognised among the UK’s most influential payroll and reward professionals.

Thomson has been named to the 2025 Partner 50 list by Reward Strategy – an exclusive ranking that highlights the top 1% of professionals working in payroll service provision.

The firm said she has played a “central” role in developing Armstrong Watson’s payroll offering into a “nationally recognised, award-winning service”.

With more than 30 years in the profession, Thomson holds several leadership roles, including chair of the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP) Special Interest Group for accountancy payroll bureaus, and vice chair of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Cumberland).

She also sits on a number of national forums, including HM Revenue and Customs’ policy and administrative boards, the Employment Payment Group, and payroll employment tax groups for the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS). In addition, she is a regular panel member on the Payroll Question Time webinars.

The Reward 300 Index has previously recognised Thomson, but 2025 marks her first appearance on the newly established Partner 50 list. This latest accolade identifies leading professionals working for suppliers across the payroll sector and aims to promote successful partnerships between pay and reward specialists and industry providers.

Reward Strategy said Thomson was selected “based on the positive impact she has made to the profession through striving for excellence and innovation within pay and reward”.

Thomson said: “I am thrilled to have been selected to be included in this elite group, with so many of my peers. Having been in the payroll profession for over 30 years and been recognised by Reward and its members in the past Reward 300 group, I feel very honoured. I couldn’t be where I am without the fantastic people I have met and who have mentored me, along with my amazing payroll team at Armstrong Watson.”

Paul Dickson, Armstrong Watson’s CEO and managing partner, added: “Karen is thoroughly deserving of this recognition. She has an enviable vision for Armstrong Watson’s payroll service and the industry as a whole, and her first-hand knowledge and experience is a huge asset to our client proposition as we strive to be the best accounting and financial advisory firm to deal with, delivering the best client experience in the UK, including all those Karen and her team provide payroll services for.”