Nicola Quayle succeeds Jonathan Holt as KPMG's Manchester boss

Firm veteran Nicola Quayle, who was most recently head of Audit for the North of England, is KPMG's new boss for its Manchester outfit. As the new office managing partner, Quayle is tasked with running the firm's 900 strong regional office.

Nicola Quayle has been with KPMG since 1996, and in the intervening years, worked her way up to the rank of Partner. She has worked across various regions in England, including London, Liverpool and Preston. Most recently she worked in Manchester as the audit lead for the firm’s largest public, private equity and privately-owned clients in the North of England. In the past, she held a role on the Board of KPMG UK, and has also served as Chair of KPMG’s Audit and Risk Committee. She started her career at Pannell Kerr Forster as a Trainee Accountant in 1991, following the successful achievement of a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from the Liverpool John Moores University.

Now, Quayle has been promoted to the rank of Senior Partner, and the new head of the firm’s Mancunian office. She will lead 900 staff members amid a period of disruption for regional industry – with new technologies, the Brexit vote and global geopolitical dynamics ushering in considerable change. Quayle, who is also a Non Executive Director on KPMG's UK Board, succeeds Jonathan Holt, who continues his almost 25 years at the firm as Head of Financial Services UK.

Reflecting on her new challenge Quayle said, “Having played an active role in the business community of this fantastic city region for many years, it is such a privilege to be now given the opportunity to lead one of KPMG’s largest regional offices in the UK.”

She added, “Manchester’s standing as a vibrant, dynamic and forward-thinking city on both the national and international stage is ever-growing, and I am excited by the opportunity to be able to play a part in its future development." Commenting on her priorities over the coming months, she stated "It will be to ensure that we continue to deliver best-in-class services to our clients across the region, while maintaining a keen focus on developing the skills of our people, ensuring we can recruit and retain the very best talent.”

Remarking on the promotion, Chris Hearld, North region chair for KPMG, added, “Nicola has outstanding credentials, having spent time working with the boards of some of the region’s biggest and most entrepreneurial businesses. She is passionate about our people, and in particular their skills and development, and is a great advocate for the financial and professional services community at large. I know that she will lead the Manchester office with drive and enthusiasm, building on the success we have achieved in recent years.”

Last month KPMG in the UK picked up Martin Wells from rival Capgemini – Wells is a Partner in the firm's management consulting business, with a focus on the power & utilities sector.

Globally KPMG has a revenue of $25.4 billion, up from $20.6 billion in 2010.