Hurst takes top northern job at KPMG
THE accountancy firm KPMG has appointed Jonathan Hurst as chairman of its northern offices.
Mr Hurst, 50, who will take up the role on Monday, is currently senior partner in the firm’s Manchester office.
He has been an audit partner at KPMG in the North West for 14 years, working with the Co-operative Group and regional businesses JD Sports, Pets at Home and Booker.
In his new role he will head offices in Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Preston which employ around 1,600 people, including 59 partners, making it the largest region for KPMG outside of London.
Mr Hurst said: “It is an absolute honour to be given the opportunity of leading one of KPMG’s largest business units in the UK. The team of people that we have across the region is second to none, be it in terms of their skills, expertise and professionalism.”
He said he plans to grow KPMG’s market share across the region, both with audit and non-audit clients.
Mr Hurst succeeds Malcolm Edge who has been in the role for more than five years. Mr Edge will continue in his role as head of the UK Markets, in addition to sitting on the board of KPMG Europe.
Mr Hurst joined KPMG in Bristol after graduating in 1981. He then moved to London where he focused on transactional projects and undertook a secondment with the Ministry of Defence. After a spell in industry as finance director in his family’s business, he moved to KPMG’s Manchester office.
