People: New head of restructuring at KPMG; Investment management founder announces retirement; and more

KPMG has appointed Kenny McKay as head of restructuring in Yorkshire and the North East.

McKay has over 20 years’ experience of providing turnaround, transformation and restructuring support to corporates and their various stakeholders. He has led numerous assignments including business and operating model design, operational restructuring, performance improvement, working capital management, strategy development, turnaround planning, financial restructuring and many types of diagnostic reviews.

Recent assignments have ranged from the turnaround of one of the major players in the UK distribution and logistics sector, a review of operations at a local engineering group, to the transformation of the RAF’s Air Mobility force at Brize Norton.

He joined the firm’s Newcastle office in 1993, before moving to the Leeds office in 1996. After enjoying stints in London and Australia, he became partner in 2008 and most recently, led the firm’s Operational Restructuring and Transformation team across the UK regions. Kenny succeeds Jonathan Marston, who is leaving the firm.

Chris Hearld, KPMG’s North Region chair, said: “Kenny McKay has a great reputation in the market place, and an excellent track record in helping clients, large and small, with complex transformation and turnaround projects.

“Our northern restructuring practice is market-leading and, despite relatively benign economic conditions in recent years, continues to secure the most high profile projects across the region, such as the administrations of Pulse Flexible Packaging and Ormandy Limited together with a hugely diverse range of advisory assignments.  With economic and market conditions now starting to look increasingly uncertain, and the number of corporate restructurings starting to tick up, more and more clients are turning to us for assistance in strategy setting, performance improvement and contingency planning.”

McKay added: “I am absolutely delighted to be taking on this role. Both here in Yorkshire and the North East and across the UK more widely, KPMG has long had a reputation for delivering innovative approaches to complex restructuring problems, whether that’s via our approach to operational restructuring and performance improvement work, or our role in pioneering the use of company voluntary arrangements and the special administration regime introduced for insolvent financial institutions.

“With Howard Smith continuing to lead on our insolvency work in the region, our strength in depth across the patch is second to none, and I am looking forward to working with Howard and the wider team to help our clients develop strategies that will improve profitability and prepare their businesses for the continued economic and political uncertainty ahead.”

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David Cowell, the founder and chairman of Leeds-based boutique investment managers Myddleton Croft, has announced his retirement after 50 years in wealth management. He will continue as non-executive chairman.

Cowell founded Myddleton Croft in 2006 and since then the business has seen tremendous growth, achieving a turnover of £1m in 2016 as well as reaching its target milestone of £100m of Funds Under Management last November.

“To have enjoyed 50 years in business is quite an achievement and I am very proud of the business the team and I have built up,” said Cowell.  “The firm has a strong reputation based on the solid performance of our discretionary portfolios and we have successfully established trusted relationships with both advisers and individuals who use our investment services.

“Working alongside managing director Julie Jones and investment director Patrick Toes, we have made great progress over the last few years, growing to a nine-strong team; moving to larger offices, and investing in new management systems.  With such a strong management team at the helm, I am confident that Myddleton Croft will continue to flourish, and I would like to thank everyone who has played a part in our success to date.”

Cowell added: “Having started working in financial services in the 1960s, I have seen huge changes in the sector especially with the growing regulatory requirements.  However, one thing I have learnt is that a solid, well-run business is able to weather changing market conditions, investing and adapting to ensure that it maintains high standards of service for its clients.”

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Perform Media has appointed James Dickens as global editor-in-chief for Goal. Dickens joins Perform Media in Leeds from Yahoo, where he was the portal’s head of sport.

Dickens’ role sees him join Perform Media’s product and content group, which through portals including Goal, Sporting News, Spox, and Voetbalzone, as well as sports video platform ePlayer, serves more than 150 million users worldwide.

For Goal, Dickens will oversee the creation of multimedia content that targets Goal’s global audience of football fans, with a focus on the biggest players, teams and competitions. Goal reaches more than 70 million users a month, through 39 local editions in 19 languages and is aided by a pool of over 500 journalists.

Perform Media’s Chief Product & Content Officer, Shaun Koiner, said: “James comes to Goal with a record of innovation in digital sports publishing, which, considering the speed this industry moves, will make him an integral part of Goal’s global team. James will ensure that Goal continues to serve and grow its existing fan base and further establish Goal as the destination for brands looking to engage with young and passionate football fans.”

Dickens said: “Today’s modern fan doesn’t follow just one team, they follow multiple players and teams and keep an eye on competitions outside of their domestic leagues. Goal’s ability to reach and engage with this audience, especially during a World Cup year, makes it an exciting time to join Perform Media.”