Johnston Carmichael appoints Andrew Walker as CEO
Johnston Carmichael has confirmed it will appoint Andrew Walker as its new Chief Executive Officer at the start of August. The move comes as incumbent boss Sandy Manson takes on the role of Chair, following the exit of Andrew Shepherd, who held the position for the last eight years.
As Scotland’s largest independent business advisory and accounting firm, Johnston Carmichael employs 800 people across its 12 locations. The professional services company reported revenues of £49 million in 2018, following record fee income of £43.7 million in 2017.
Amid this bullish performance, Chair Andrew Shepherd announced he would be stepping down after eight years in the role. The move has triggered a succession of changes, with Chief Executive Officer Sandy Manson due to step into Shepherd’s role, while the firm’s long-term succession plan will subsequently lead to a new CEO taking office.
As of August 1st 2019, Andrew Walker will be assuming the top job. A Scottish chartered accountant, Walker has more than 23 years’ experience in the profession and corporate finance. Walker arrived at Johnston Carmichael in 2003, before becoming a Managing Partner for its Aberdeen office four years later. Walker helped establish the firm’s 12th office, which opened its doors in Dundee earlier in June with the intention of supporting the city’s growing technology and science sector. He has also been a member of the board for the past 11 years.
Walker will now take charge of Johnston Carmichael as it looks to continue its meteoric growth track, amid this period of change. Outgoing CEO Manson, who has been with the firm for 12 years, will take on a new role as Head of Client Service.
Commenting on his new challenge, Walker pointed to a “stronger than ever” talent pipeline due to the firm’s long-term succession strategy. He also stated that he was excited to “take the business to the next level.”
“Our profession is going through a lot of change and we as a firm need to keep evolving, improving and investing to take advantage of the exciting opportunities which exist for a leading independent firm of our national scale,” Walker concluded.