Anna Anthony succeeds Omar Ali as EY's Financial Services leader

12 October 2020 Consultancy.uk

Anna Anthony has been named as EY’s new UK Financial Services Leader. Taking up the position at the start of next year, Anthony takes over from Omar Ali, who has held the role since 2015.

Commenting on the news, Anna Anthony remarked, “Our UK financial services business has gone from strength to strength, and I am excited to lead such a high performing and talented team. As we navigate through Covid-19 and fast approach the end of the Brexit transition period, there remains significant uncertainty within the current business landscape. However, there is clarity around the future we are looking to create, and it is an exciting time to be helping clients grow their businesses in increasingly sustainable, diverse and innovative ways.”

In her new role she will lead over 200 partners and 4,500 staff, with responsibility for some of the firm’s largest global clients. Upon taking the role, Anthony will become the first female financial services leader for EY UK, and will join the EY UK Board, while retaining her role on the executive board of EY’s EMEIA financial services business. The promotion follows her spending five years as EY’s EMEIA Financial Services Tax and Legal Leader. In that position, she has consistently achieved strong and sustained growth, while prior to this role she led the UK financial services tax practice.

Anna Anthony succeeds Omar Ali as EY's Financial Services leader

Hywel Ball, UK Chair at EY, said of the appointment, “Anna brings fantastic experience to the role, having led our financial services tax business both here and across our EMEIA region. This is a crucial moment in time for UK business as we work through the challenges presented by COVID-19, look to a post-Brexit environment, and consider how all sectors can counter climate change. Financial Services will be integral to helping the UK economy tackle those challenges and I am thrilled that Anna will be joining the UK Leadership Team as EY supports clients through these changes.”

Anthony’s promotion comes in response to the relocation of Omar Ali. After five years heading up EY’s UK financial services business, Ali has taken a new role as EY’s EMEIA Financial Services Managing Partner for Client Services. In this position, he will take responsibility for market activity across banking, insurance and wealth and asset management for 18 countries, including the UK

Marcel van Loo, EMEIA Financial Services Leader at EY, stated, “Anna will build on Omar’s legacy of transformation and growth. Under his leadership over the last five years, the UK business has supported clients through a raft of unique and unprecedented challenges, achieving market leading growth. I have no doubt that Anna will build on these foundations and lead our financial services clients through this transformative age.”

Ali took to LinkedIn to publish his own feelings on the move. In a message posted on his public profile, Ali said he was excited for the new challenge his next role will bring, “particularly at a critical time for FS firms across Europe.”

He concluded, “I have loved leading our UK financial services business, and remain committed to playing a role in the UK market and supporting its financial services industry, through Covid-19, Brexit and beyond. Thank you to everyone in EY UK Financial Services for being so brilliant and making the last 5 years an honour and so much fun. To all my colleagues across EMEIA, I'm super excited about working with you and about what we can do together to bring the best of EY to our clients.”