PwC announces senior appointments in the Midlands

PwC in the Midlands has made a series of senior promotions in its Risk Assurance business as part of the ongoing investment in its regional practice.

Rebecca Cooke has been promoted to partner and Dan Brew and Neal Smith have been promoted to director. As a result there are now five partners, five directors and over 130 other staff working in PwC’s Risk Assurance practice in the Midlands region.
The team works with businesses and organisations of all sizes, across a variety of sectors, to help them identify, measure and manage their key business risks more effectively and give them the confidence to grow.

Based in the Birmingham office, Ms Cooke has worked for PwC in the Midlands for more than 20 years. As a partner, she will continue to support businesses with issues relating to risk, governance and controls. She has a particular focus on Internal Audit, advising clients on setting up internal audit functions, determining the nature and scope of assurance activities, and delivering core and specialist internal audit reviews. Rebecca also specialises in advising clients on how to manage risk and maximise value across their third party relationships.

Neal Smith joined PwC’s graduate scheme in 2003. Since then, he has worked in the Midlands Risk Assurance team, helping top-tier corporate clients from a cross section of industries to address IT risk and undergo large scale technology transformation programmes. Smith will now head up the Risk Assurance practice for PwC in the East Midlands.

Dan Brew joined the firm in 2001 and has worked in the firm’s assurance practice, supporting a range of private businesses, large corporates and foreign owned businesses. As a director, Brew will continue to lead audits for a variety of clients and will also lead a team offering systems and process assurance, governance, risk and controls, internal audit, technology assurance and data management to local businesses in the South Midlands region.

Andrew Hammond, head of assurance at PwC in the Midlands, said: “I’m delighted with these promotions, they are all well-deserved and reflect the hard work, commitment and contribution shown by Rebecca, Neal and Dan.

“This investment in our Midlands Risk Assurance practice is also a sign of our desire to continue to strengthen the firm’s presence in the region and to further extend our quality, specialist risk services to businesses and organisations across the Midlands.

“Looking ahead, as the Midlands economy continues to recover, all organisations will need to put in place the correct strategies and systems to manage risk in an effective manner.”

Hat-trick of new partners for Ormerod Rutter

ORMEROD Rutter Chartered Accountants has appointed three new partners to support the ongoing development of the Worcestershire firm, which has offices in Droitwich Spa, Bromsgrove and Worcester.

Alex Dyer, Andy Hunt and Jon Roberts will play a key role in helping the firm respond to rapid growth and will also be involved in future strategic development.

Bromsgrove-born Dyer (centre) joined the practice as a junior accountant after leaving school 17 years ago. He has helped the practice develop over this time and more recently has built up a large and varied portfolio of over 500 clients.

Hunt (right) qualified as a chartered accountant in 1993 and as a chartered tax advisor in 2005. He provides advice on commercial finance, specialising in all aspects of corporate tax planning including company valuations, succession planning, mergers and acquisitions, EMI share option schemes and group reconstructions.

Having joined the firm as a senior accountant six years ago from a smaller Worcester-based practice, Roberts (left) then proceeded to head up the accounts department before moving to a client-facing role. As a qualified accountant, he now provides technical and commercial support to the firm’s larger corporate clients as well as further developing his own client base.

Partner Colm McGrory said: “We are confident Andy, Alex and Jon will continue to bring new and exciting opportunities to the firm.”

Baldwins recruits experienced banker to strengthen its finance team

AN experienced and respected banking professional has joined independent accountancy firm Baldwins to strengthen its expanding banking and finance team.

Graham Collins (left) has been appointed Associate Director of Banking and Finance at the firm, which has eight offices throughout the Midlands. Previously he worked for Lloyds Bank for the 38 years, latterly as a regional manager in the bank’s invoice finance division.

His appointment will see him working alongside Martyn Shakespear, Baldwin’s Director of Banking and Finance.

Collins said: “I enjoyed working in the invoice finance and banking sectors but I am looking forward to transferring the knowledge and experience I have built up over the years to helping clients of Baldwins Accountants and potential new clients.”