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Practice News: Cooper Parry and Clement Keys confirm merger talks

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30th Nov 2015
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A round-up of the latest news, appointments, executive moves and acquisitions from the world of practice during November 2015.

PKF Cooper Parry and Clement Keys in merger talks

30 Nov - PKF Cooper Parry and Birmingham-based Clement Keys are in talks to merge in early January 2016.

The newly merged firm will have a combined revenue of £30 million and a team of more than 350 people across its two offices in the East and West Midlands.

Ade Cheatham, chief executive of PKF Cooper Parry, said: He said: "This is an exciting and significant merger for both firms. We share a closely aligned vision to be number one in the privately-owned market across the whole of the Midlands through creating a fiercely independent firm which is purely focused on exceptional client service.

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Mitchells increases staff numbers

30 Nov - Mitchells Chartered Accountants, based in Chesterfield, has appointed six new members of staff - increasing its staff numbers by 15%.

Hari Mehta, Lindsey Paradise, Holly Fleming, Jane Gregory, Thomas Hardy and James Layton have joined Mitchells. Mehta will drive Mitchell’s auto enrolment services, and Paradise takes the client manager position within corporate services. The four other recruits are starting their accountancy careers with Mitchells.

Richard Trueman, Managing Partner said: “We are taking on more clients and growing year-on-year so we’ve attracted some fantastic new talent helping us further strengthen the team across all departments.

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Jeremy Chapman joins PKF Cooper Parry

30 Nov - Jeremy Chapman has joined PKF Parry as head of capital allowances.

Chapman was previously head of property tax at EC Harris. This move is part of PKF’s Midlands expansion.

Chapman said: "In the next five years my goal is to help cement PKF Cooper Parry as the number one accountancy firm in the Midlands and to enhance the tax team’s offering, boosting our client base and providing first rate services for each and every client."

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EY appoints new people advisory lead

25 Nov -EY has appointed Joanne Kaveney-Davis as a Partner to lead its new People Advisory Services team in the Midlands.

Kaveney-davis joined EY in 1997 in the East Midlands. She re-joins EY after two years at Walgreens Boots Alliance and eight years as a Director at Deloitte.

Joanne Kaveney-Davis said: “EY has a highly talented team in the Midlands and through our new people-services offering, we can harness the collective power of EY’s people by combining the experience of our Tax and Advisory practices. I look forward to playing an important role in the growth of EY’s PAS practice as we expand our service offering and capabilities in the region.”

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R&D tax specialist joins Forrestbrown

23 Nov – R&D tax credit consultancy ForrestBrown has appointed corporate tax specialist Jenny Tragner as Director.

Tragner was tax manager within KPMG’s Innovation Reliefs and Incentives team, and an assistant manager role in the big-four firm’s capital allowances unit.

Tragner said: “I am excited to be joining a vibrant company during a period of such sustained growth. One of the main attractions for me was the culture and ethos that Simon and the team have created, and the talent that the business has recruited.

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EY hires private client services head

23 Nov - EY has appointed partner Katherine Bullock to lead its UK and Ireland private client services practice, outside of London. She will lead EY’s regional private client services practice.

Bullock, who was recognised as one of the country’s most influential private client advisers in both 2013 and 2014, has more than 25 years’ experience advising individuals with complex, active and significant financial interests on multi-jurisdictional and multi-generational tax and financial issues.

She will lead EY’s private client services practice, which offers tax planning and compliance advice to individuals and their businesses, as well as cross-border services that help meet the needs of clients with international interests.

* * *

Former JP Morgan VP joins Alsbridge

12 Nov - Alsbridge, a global outsourcing consultancy, has strengthened its UK team with the appointment of Elesh Khakar, as a managing director in the UK office.

Before joining Alsbridge, Khakhar was director of strategic business accounts for Hewlett-Packard, focusing on the energy sector and major accounts.

Previously, he was at ISG as a partner, EMEA CIO services and strategic deals. He also has significant experience in the financial services sector; his past roles include head of infrastructure for Halifax Group Treasury and Wholesale Banking and VP of Technology for JP Morgan.

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RSM appoints new head of corporate tax

11 Nov - RSM has appointed Bury St Edmunds based partner Melanie Reed as its national head of corporate tax.

Reed has over 15 years’ experience advising businesses both in the UK and the US, and specialises in tax reporting under both IFRS and UK GAAP, and has acted as part of the reporting accountant team for listings both on the full market and AIM. In her new role she will lead and further develop RSM’s national corporate tax offering. 

Jim Meakin, RSM’s UK head of tax said: “(Melanie) has a great deal of experience of advising businesses both in the UK and internationally, and I have no doubt her leadership will increase and further develop our existing corporate tax offering at this exciting time for RSM.’

* * *

PSTAX appoints former GT director

9 Nov - Public Sector Taxation (PSTAX) has appointed Duncan Groves to spearhead the company’s Employment Taxes division, which focuses solely on the UK public sector.

Duncan is a former Partner at Baker Tilly and more recently a Director at Grant Thornton, and brings to the role almost 25 yeaxrs’ experience.

Groves commented on his appointment: “After many years working for large enterprises, I wanted to bring my expertise to a niche player and have greater influence over service provision. At PSTAX we have a much shorter time-to-market than larger players in the public sector tax advice space, giving us more time to innovate with new services such as the Employment Taxes division. That agility will ensure that customers will continue to receive a cost-effective enhanced service.”

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French Duncan promotes Eileen Blackburn

9 Nov - French Duncan has promoted Eileen Blackburn to the new role of Principal Partner of its Edinburgh office as part of a wide-ranging programme of change and development. 

Blackburn, who retains her role as Head of French Duncan’s Business Recovery and Insolvency Division, joined the practice 12 years ago and has over 25 years’ experience advising the SME sector and individuals experiencing financial difficulties.Commenting on her new position, Blackburn said: “I’m delighted to assume this expanded role within the firm and look forward to working alongside my partners, directors, managers and staff as we embark upon an ambitious programme of development within Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.”

* * *

RSM announce new consulting practice partners

5 Nov- RSM has announced the appointment of Pelle Langli and Mark Wootton as partners in its consulting practice.

Pelle Langli, who will be based in Leeds, joins RSM from EC Partners. In his new role, he will focus on growing RSM’s consulting business in Yorkshire and the North East and helping to build the firm’s national Finance Function Advisory service line. 

Mark Wootton, who was previously managing director of consulting firm KM&T UK, will be based in RSM’s Birmingham office.  He will head up the Operational Improvement service line and be responsible for delivering business performance improvement and change management projects in the UK and internationally.

Robert Ross, head of RSM’s UK consulting practice said ‘We have seen rapid growth in our consulting practice this year in response to client demand, and we are delighted to be further strengthening our leadership team with the appointments of Pelle and Mark. They both have impressive credentials, strong industry links and will be able to use their significant experience to assist our clients with their change programmes.’

* * *

RSM Southampton appoints two new partners

4 Nov - RSM has appointed two new partners to its Southampton office, indirect tax partner Philip Munn and audit partner Paul Anthony.

Philip joins RSM from Deloitte, where he worked on both VAT and duty issues for a wide variety of companies.  While Phil specialises in the travel, hospitality and leisure market he has also worked with several technology companies, both as part of their in-house team and as an adviser.

Paul joins RSM from BDO in Southampton and is an experienced audit partner, advising growing businesses that are privately owned, private equity backed and listed. He has worked with complex and international businesses across a broad range of sectors including in technology, distribution and manufacturing.

John Taylor, RSM’s office managing partner in Southampton said: ‘I am delighted to welcome both Phillip and Paul to the team here in Southampton. We are making a significant investment locally and the arrival of both is further evidence of this. They  bring a great deal of experience within their respective areas and I have no doubt they will play a significant role in helping to develop the firms offering, particularly in the rapidly growing technology sector.’ 

* * *

CIMA apprentices offered permanent positions

3 Nov – Experian, a Nottingham-based global information services company, has offered permanent jobs to a quintet of apprentices.

The group of school-leavers were part of the first group of apprentices in the country to take on the CIMA higher apprenticeship in management qualification in 2013.

Alex Sanderson, now 19, joined Experian after his AS Levels. He said“Being able to gain a qualification in something that interests me and being able to work in that particular area or field, especially with a global company like Experian with lots of future opportunity, seemed to make much more sense than going to university.”

* * *

Knill James makes nine appointments

3 Nov – Knill James, based in East Sussex, has made four senior appointments and taken on four trainees and an administrator.

All nine appointments have now taken up their posts. Laura Kalnaja has been appointed as Tax Senior in the tax team, while James Bird takes on the role of Tax Portfolio Manager. Rebecca Connelly has joined as Management Accounting and Outsourcing Senior as a result of continued growth in these areas.Jaime Turner has joined the Audit & Assurance department as an Audit & Accounts Senior, while Sophie Forster joined the Professional Support Group as an Administrator.

Trainees appointed are Laura Vanstone, Alex West and Francis Smith, who will join the Business Services Group, and Rachel Layton-Henry, who will join the tax team.

“It has been a landmark year for the firm as we continue to grow,” said Kevin Powell, Senior Partner at Knill James.  

* * *

Baldwins Accountants acquire Worcester firm

2 Nov -Baldwins Accountants has taken over Sandison Rouse & Co in Richmond House, Bromyard Road.

The existing team will all remain at the business which will now be known as Baldwins incorporating Sandison Rouse & Co. Karen Cavens and Darren Stevenson will lead the office.

David Baldwin, a partner at Baldwins Accountants, said: “This is our first office in Worcester – and we are keen to expand further in the county. Sandison Rouse & Co is a great fit with our ethos at Baldwins Accountants for providing a top-class, friendly service.”

* * *

BHP boosts staff force

2 Nov - BHP has recruited 23 graduates, trainees and school leavers, and they will train across the firm’s offices in Sheffield, Leeds, Cleckheaton and York.

The new starters will be spread across the company’s audit and accounts team, and their specialist healthcare team.

John Warner, managing partner at BHP, said: “We’re delighted to welcome all these new starters into our teams. We are also very excited to be launching our new higher apprenticeship scheme, which offers school leavers the opportunity to gain a degree without going to university.

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