KPMG leader Mark Britnell passes baton to two women

Mark Britnell, the outgoing Head of KPMG’s Healthcare, Government and Infrastructure industry vertical, is passing the torch to two women: Liz Forsyth and Anna van Poucke.

KPMG’s healthcare, government and infrastructure industry vertical works together with clients in infrastructure, government, healthcare and life sciences. The unit delivers deep sector expertise to help organisations cope with the various issues and disruption facing these industries – something especially important amid the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, and the economic crisis it has coincided with.

The healthcare, government and infrastructure vertical is going through a major change itself currently, with the news that KPMG’s long-standing head of the practice is standing down. Mark Britnell has been at the helm of the unit for the last eleven years, having joined the firm following a 20-year career with the NHS. He was most recently Director General for the Department of Health, before arriving with KPMG in 2009.

Britnell said of the news via his personal LinkedIn, “After 11 years of constant travel (coronavirus aside), I’ve decided to spend more time on terra-firma and hand over my global responsibilities. It’s been an incredible journey but spending 35 weeks each year away from home can be stretching.”

Under his leadership, the practice trebled the size to a team of around 45,000 professionals – accountants, consultants, financial advisors and lawyers – in over 150 countries. The unit generates an estimated 22% of KPMG’s total global revenues, making it the firm's second largest industry vertical just behind Financial Services.

Britnell added, “It has been a great honour and pleasure to serve clients around the world. I shall continue as a UK health partner and do occasional global engagements.”

Britnell will continue to serve the UK organisation, focused on clients in the healthcare sector. The leadership of KPMG's Infrastructure service area has already been taken on by UK-based partner Richard Threlfall.

KPMG has already planned for a succession of the outgoing Britnell for his remaining remit meanwhile, announcing that his role will be taken up by KPMG Australia partner Liz Forsyth. She currently is the firm's Global Head of Government and Public Sector.

Further reading: Liz Forsyth global head of KPMG's Infra, Government & Health group.

Meanwhile, Anna van Poucke from KPMG Netherlands will become the firm’s Head of Healthcare. Van Poucke currently leads KPMG’s Dutch Healthcare practice. She specialises in the structural redesign of the healthcare landscape, especially new forms of regional cooperation, as well as mergers and acquisitions.