New appointment has the Midas touch for Grant Thornton

GRANT Thornton has strengthened its public sector assurance team in Birmingham with the appointment of John Golding as head of its not-for-profit practice across the Midlands.
 
A highly experienced adviser to private and public sectors, Golding joined Grant Thornton in 2007, was practice leader for the firm’s Bristol office for three years until July 2014 and also led until recently the public sector assurance team in the South West region.
 
Over the years Golding has worked with many of the country’s leading housing associations, charities, colleges and universities including Cambridge University, the University of Gloucestershire, Accord Housing and has also been a governor of a leading sixth form college. Golding was already developing a specialism in the not-for-profit sector when his focus on public services was honed during a three-year secondment to the Audit Commission in the early 2000s.
 
He said: “Social housing and education sectors are hugely valuable to both the economy of the Midlands and the UK, but they are facing unprecedented economic challenges due to changes to the ways they are funded. Senior executives now have to address how they equip their organisations to be financially fit for the future.
 
“Just as local government is having to introduce more innovative ways of working to take account of austerity measures, so are these essential service providers to ensure they not only survive in the future, but thrive.”
 
David Hillan, practice leader at Grant Thornton in Birmingham, added: “John’s blend of skills gained from his uniquely wide-ranging experience means that new and existing clients will benefit from his breadth of technical knowledge combined with commercially astute advice. He is incredibly passionate about his subject and his joining the team here in Birmingham is a huge coup, enhancing further our work in this vital sector.”
 

Experienced appointment for Jobson James

BIRMINGHAM- based independent insurance broker, Jobson James, has strengthened its team with the appointment of Paul Hume-Miller to the new role of Head of Compliance.
 
Hume-Miller (left) has 39 years’ experience in the insurance Industry, largely acquired with Composite Insurers and National Brokers.
 
Jobson James said the new role illustrated the firm’s thorough approach to compliance.

Jobson James director Jon Parry said: “Compliance is a vital role now and this appointment demonstrates our commitment to being ‘best of breed’ in this area.  Paul has held various managerial roles in the industry and we are delighted to have him on board.”

Racy new appointment for PwC

PwC has appointed senior partner Ruby Parmar to head up its 120-strong office in Milton Keynes and the South Midlands.

Ms Parmar (left), who succeeds Mike Robinson after his five-year tenure, has a background in tax and previously headed up the private business and private client practice in the area.

Matt Hammond, the Birmingham-based regional chairman of PwC in the Midlands, said: “I am delighted that Ruby has agreed to lead the Milton Keynes and South Midlands practice. She has a wealth of experience advising and working with businesses of different sizes and in many sectors.”

Ms Parmar, who has been with PwC for 15 years, is spearheading PwC’s support for a new study into the concentration of high-performance technology and motorsport (HPT&M) businesses located around the world famous Silverstone motor racing circuit.

The Cluster Report is being led by MEPC, the asset manager and developer of Silverstone Park, which has over 70 current occupiers including Porsche, Ducati, 3CTest, Road Angel, Torotrak and Nissan LMP1.

Commenting on the Cluster Report project, Ms Parmar said: “Silverstone Park is located at the heart of a cluster of high-performance technology and motorsport (HPT&M) companies, all delivering innovative engineering projects. With over 4,000 HPT&M companies within a one hour radius of Silverstone Park, it is an economic geography of great significance to the future of the UK economy.

“PwC is committed to encouraging opportunities for technological innovation and investment across the UK. Through our new Devolution Delivery Network this research will help support our vision to establish the region as a global business destination for HPT&M.”