Accountants become first in region to be led by female partners

Beever and Struthers is the only firm of accountants and business advisors in the North West to be headed by female partners.

In a pioneering departure from tradition in the sector the move follows the retirement of its managing and senior partners.

Partners Caroline Monk and Maria Hallows have been promoted to be executive partners of the firm, which has 18 partners and 180 staff at its Manchester headquarters and offices in Blackburn and London.

The groundbreaking and strategic succession means Beever and Struthers is the only accountancy firm in the North West of England to be headed by female partners and one of very few in the whole of the UK.

Maria and Caroline are assuming the reins from managing partner Phil Roberts and senior partner Chris Porritt, who, between them, have amassed a total of 99 years with the practice, including half a century of working together.

Under the combined leadership of Phil and Chris Beever and Struthers has won numerous awards and grown to become a Top 10 firm in the North West and among the Top 60 nationwide.

Caroline said: “Our growth under Phil and Chris is a fantastic achievement for a firm that is hugely proud of its independent status.

“They will be greatly missed and the partners and staff wish them well.”

Maria added: “Thanks to their ambition, we’re in a strong position to move forward and we are honoured to fill the shoes of Phil and Chris under the title of executive partners. All the remaining partners look forward to continuing to build on the success of the practice.”

Caroline joined the firm in 2003 and leads the private sector audit team with additional responsibility for its international groups and FCA regulated clients.

Maria, who joined in 1995, heads the firm’s not-for-profit sector, playing a key role in taking Beever and Struthers to among the top five providers of audit and assurance services to the social housing sector in the UK.

In a joint statement, Phil Roberts and Chris Porritt said: “After half a century of working together with exceptional and loyal staff to secure the outstanding reputation and respected position that Beever and Struthers enjoys among its peers, we’re handing over to Maria and Caroline, confident that under their guidance and support the firm will continue to deliver with integrity the same high quality and sector-leading services to all our valued clients.”