People: Grant Thornton makes senior hire from PwC; Double partner promotion at law firm; and more

Grant Thornton has appointed private equity tax specialist Tom Klouda, who joins from PwC’s Leeds office, as director.

Klouda brings more than 10 years of experience to the role. He will focus on growing the corporate and transactional tax service, providing tailored tax advice to businesses and their owners across the region.

Rachel Engwell, tax partner at Grant Thornton Yorkshire, said: “It’s been a fantastic year for us and I’m delighted to welcome Tom to the team to support the next stage of our continued growth.

“We have developed a real strength in this area and have been involved in some of the region’s biggest deals, including the flotation of Sumo Digital and the recent acquisition of Sigma Group, adding significant value through tax on transactions. With his experience of private equity and shareholder transactions, Tom will be integral in developing this specialist service working closely with our local transactional advisory services teams.”

Klouda added:  “I’m thrilled to be joining the Yorkshire tax team which is well-positioned to serve the dynamic business market across Yorkshire and the North East.”

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Shulmans has announced the promotion of two of its associates to partner as part of its career progression scheme, Forward with Shulmans.

Under the scheme, Richard Robinson has been promoted to partner in Shulmans’ property litigation team and Tom Watkins has been promoted to partner in the firm’s employment unit.

Robinson is a real estate expert, specialising in the proactive management of risks associated with property ownership and occupancy. He has extensive experience in dealing with a wide range of property related issues such as development disputes and landlord and tenant disputes. Acting for national retailers, house builders, funds and public-sector organisations, his work now includes overseeing matters relating to multi-million-pound commercial property disrepair claims.

Watkins acts for a wide range of clients as well as leading Shulmans’ education team.  He has 18 years’ experience in employment law, with particular expertise within the independent school sector. He is renowned for finding solutions to complex and delicate matters, including the management of safeguarding and performance related issues.

Tim Halstead, managing partner at Shulmans, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Richard and Tom to the partnership and would like to congratulate them on their promotions, both of which are very well deserved. Their specialisms and industry expertise are a real asset to the firm and we are pleased to be further strengthening two of our teams as a result of these appointments.

“As members of our Forward with Shulmans development programme, Richard and Tom have excelled in their respective fields. The current scheme was established five years ago and to date has resulted in 15 promotions, including eight to partner, underpinning our commitment to continually investing in our people.”

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Skipton Building Society has announced Lisa Davis as chief human resources officer.

Davis joins Skipton Building Society from Innogy SE, a subsidiary of RWE AG where she was HR director in the UK for people development and top executive management, previously having had the role of HR director for the UK domestic business of npower.

Prior to this, she has held a number of senior HR and leadership positions in financial services, including Aviva and Santander, having qualified as an accountant with EY in London.

Davis said: “Skipton Building Society  is a great organisation,  with remarkable capabilities and many talented people.  I am looking forward to joining the team and playing my part in the next chapter of the company’s growth and development .”

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