Professionals: EY; BDO; BPP and KPMG; Andrew Jackson

PROFESSIONAL services firm EY has appointed director Catherine Reid to its growing assurance practice and to lead its Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards programme in Yorkshire and Humber.

Ms Reid, who joins EY from Grant Thornton, has more than 10 years’ experience advising and leading audit work for fast growing, entrepreneurial companies, as well as large corporates and listed groups.

At EY, she will lead teams in auditing many of the firm’s largest clients, as well as providing advice and support to companies on issues relating to international growth.

Ms Reid will also head the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards programme in Yorkshire – which is in its 17th year in the UK – working closely with entrants and shortlisted firms to help them get the most out of the process.

She will work alongside Stuart Watson, Yorkshire and Humber senior partner at EY and the firm’s UK Entrepreneur Of The Year Leader, and Robert Crooks, Entrepreneur of the Year leader for the North of England.

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A NEW tax director and senior manager have joined accountancy and business advisory firm BDO in Leeds, following the appointment of audit partner Mark Langford last month and 18 internal promotions.

Tom Roseff joins as a director in the tax team, with a background spanning more than 20 years’ at Big Four firms, including Deloitte, EY and KPMG. He has considerable experience in advising ambitious mid-market businesses on a range of corporate tax matters, with specific expertise in the real estate and construction sector.

International tax expert Judith Henry, formerly of British American Tobacco, joins as a senior manager in the transfer pricing team. With more than 13 years’ experience, including eight years with PwC, Ms Henry advises mid-sized companies and large international corporates on all aspects of transfer pricing, including the development of valuation tools and cross-border restructuring.

Terry Jones, partner and head of BDO in Yorkshire, said: “This is an incredibly exciting time for the Leeds office, as we’ve had multiple promotions and appointments following significant growth and new client wins.

“Tom and Judith’s experience in both industry and practice, combined with their international and sector expertise, reinforces our commitment to attracting top talent and delivering the very best service to our clients.”

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WHEN it comes to innovation in accountancy BPP Professional Education Group and KPMG’s ACA Intensive Programme adds up.

The national programme, developed by BPP Professional Education Group to give the next generation of KPMG trainee accountants the skills to excel, has received a national award.

The programme has boasted excellent pass rates since first it was launched in September 2013.

And celebrations have been in full flow once again after the ACA Intensive Programme clinched the PQ Magazine 2015 award for Innovation in Accountancy.

The ACA Intensive Programme allows new KPMG graduates the opportunity to complete the majority of their chartered accountancy qualification within the first 10 months of joining the firm.

The programme’s first cohort completed the programme last summer with the pilot group of 49 trainees achieving pass rates of 94% and 100% in the ICAEW Advanced level papers.

The intensive programme complements KPMG’s audit business model with a need for UK graduates to be ready to apply higher skills earlier in their career.

KPMG has expanded the programme for the September 2014 intake to include a regional class in Birmingham. Overall intake is now over 100 trainees.

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SALLY-ANNE NEAL, an associate with law firm Andrew Jackson, has been appointed as the regional chair of the Collaborative Family Law Group for Hull & East Yorkshire.

Established in 2006 the group, which comprises 14 local family lawyers and associated professionals from across the region, aims to help couples work together to manage their divorce or separation in an amicable way to achieve a settlement without going to the courts.