South: EY announces record number of promotions and appointments

EY has announced a record number of senior promotions and appointments across its Reading and Southampton offices, reaffirming EY’s commitment to the Thames Valley and South region.

New partners Colette Devey (Advisory) and Caroline Macaskill (Tax) are joined by five new associate partners, Kate Allen (Audit), David McAlister (People Advisory Services); Damian Murphy (Tax), Richard Robinson (Transaction Services) and Ryan Squires (Audit). The office has also recruited four new associate partners and welcomed the return of several specialists to the team.

Devey leads EY’s Risk Advisory team across the Thames Valley and South. She is also responsible for EY’s Internal Audit business in the UK. Macaskill, meanwhile, leads EY’s growing Transaction Tax team in the region, with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, as well as structuring, reorganisations and international expansion.

Further supporting the capabilities of the Reading office is partner Asheesh Malhotra, who has returned to lead the technology transformation team in the region, focusing on digital and IT strategy and emerging technologies. Asheesh has over 20 years’ experience working with clients in the UK, Middle East and Asia Pacific.

These appointments cap an extremely strong year of senior investment in key areas for EY in the Thames Valley and South region, which also includes the recruitment to the Tax team of Ros Payne and Paul McSavage as associate partners. Payne specialises in transaction structuring and diligence and McSavage has a wealth of experience in transfer pricing and supply chain optimisation.

Damian Murphy has also been promoted to associate partner in the growing tax team, with a particular specialism in tax accounting and auditing and on the back of considerable investment in Transaction Tax capabilities, Richard Robinson is promoted to associate partner, strengthening the broader Transaction Advisory team’s ability to advise clients in the Technology, Media and Telecoms sector, on investments, divestments and public transactions. 

Working closely with the Tax team advising clients on employment taxes, global mobility and incentive planning, the People Advisory Service team has been strengthened by David McAlister’s promotion to associate partner. The team has also been bolstered by a brace of new recruits. Alex Murdoch and Vaneeta Khurana have joined EY as associate partners, with a focus on employment tax and reward planning.

EY’s investment in audit capabilities in the Thames Valley has been demonstrated by the promotion of Kate Allen and Ryan Squires to associate partners. Both began their career at EY in Southampton and now work with clients across the region.

Richard Baker, managing partner for EY in the Thames Valley and South region, said: “It’s been a fantastic 12 months for EY in the region, realising significant growth at client level, across a variety of sectors and importantly supporting our employees to take the next progressive step in their careers. I’d like to congratulate everyone on their promotions and extend a warm welcome to those who have joined EY during the year. We have truly strengthened our local market facing team at senior levels with genuinely ‘local’ talent.

“The region has some of the fastest growing and most entrepreneurial towns and cities in the UK. GVA is expected to continue to grow, despite Brexit uncertainty, which means as a business, we need to ensure that we retain highly skilled and knowledgeable people, across our service lines.

“These promotions and appointments demonstrate that EY in the Thames Valley and South is committed to developing its people, introducing new local talent, providing an exceptional service and strengthening EY’s brand across the region.”

EY employs nearly 600 across the Thames Valley and South region, from bases in Reading and Southampton.