PwC appoints four new Partners and six Directors in Reading
Big Four firm PwC has bolstered its Reading practice with the addition of four new partners alongside six director promotions. The announcement comes as part of a raft of 54 new Partner appointments across the UK.
PwC's presence in the centre of Reading makes the firm the largest professional services organisation in the Thames Valley area, with an office easily reachable for commuting clients and staff alike. In the area, PwC works with a diverse range of clients from across telecommunications, energy, utilities and biotechnology industries, many of which are well-known and range from local, national and global brands.
As PwC bids to boost its expertise in the region and meet changing customer demands, as well as reward top performers, the firm has announced an extensive roster of promotions. This has seen 11 senior manager and 19 manager promotions in the Reading office – where the firm is also currently recruiting for graduates and A-Level school-leavers to join the practice – along with six Director elevations and four Partner promotions.
Kate Harris is a Chartered Accountant by background, and is a qualified Global Reward Practitioner who has been advising companies on reward issues for the past 17 years. As Partner, she will lead PwC’s Reward & Employment practice in the South East, having joined the firm in 1993. Leo Ring is a former People Leader & Senior Manager with KPMG UK, joining its Big Four rival PwC in 2015. He now becomes a Partner in PwC’s Tax wing.
Stephanie Edenborough is experienced in providing Risk Assurance, having specialised in IT Internal Audit throughout her career. As Partner in the Assurance division of PwC Reading, she will continue to lead a number of Internal Audit co-source and outsource engagements across the South East, as well as the Technology Risk team of PwC in the South East. Also promoted to Partner in Assurance is Anish Patel. Patel has spent 17 years with PwC, including a two year secondment in Mumbai, as the COO, of the PW India Assurance Practice, with a key focus on business transformation including implementing a Quality Management System. Patel returned to the UK in 2015, to become a Director, three years before his latest ascendancy in the organisation.
Six Directors have meanwhile been appointed to the Reading practice as well. These include Charlotte Anderson, Chris Cook and Alex Upton in Assurance, as well as Carrie Hale, Kathie Saunders and Sarah Mullen in Tax.
Commenting on the promotions, John Ellis, Office Senior Partner, said, "These promotions reflect our investment in our people and our commitment to invest in the Thames Valley region and grow our business in the regions. We believe that its vital to continue investment in our people so we have the right level of expertise and experience in place to deliver value to our clients.”
The promotions in Reading came as part of a nationwide wave of appointments, as across the UK, PwC announced 54 new Equity Partner appointments. This represents an increase of 23 on last year’s figures, and Kevin Ellis, Chairman and Senior Partner at PwC UK, said that 30% of the new partners are based outside of London, reflecting PwC's commitment to all the UK’s regions.
Related: PwC first Big Four firm to ban all-male job shortlists.
