Hugh Sanderson and Ian Wood join KPMG's energy M&A team

KPMG’s Energy Lead Advisory team, which supports clients in energy transition through strategy and M&A advice, has announced two senior appointments. Ian Wood joins from EY as an Associate Partner and Hugh Sanderson arrives from FirstEnergy Capital as a Managing Director.

Headed by partners Gavin Quantock and Adrian Scholtz, KPMG’s Energy Lead Advisory team supports clients with advice, sector insight and deal origination and execution. With 35 energy advisers the practice is growing rapidly with plans to increase headcount to 60 specialists.

Commenting on the two new arrivals, Quantock commented, “Ian and Hugh’s spectrum of skills and experience will be invaluable in strengthening our differentiated proposition to provide unique incremental value across the defining deals of the global energy transition.”

Ian Wood comes to KPMG from Big Four rival EY, arriving as an Associate Partner. He is an experienced energy deal originator and executor, having spent 20 years in infrastructure corporate finance. He has a proven track record in energy transition, including roles on deals such as the financing of Sleaford biomass plant, JPMorgan Asset Management’s UK wind portfolio acquisition, equity funding of the storage and flexgen specialist Statera Energy and GLIL’s first solar investment partnership with Cubico Sustainable Investments.

Wood said of his new challenge, “KPMG’s Energy Deal Advisory team has a reputation for being at the leading edge of the market and I’m looking forward to being part of the future growth of the team across the UK.”

“In this crucial year for sustainable energy we’ll be collaborating with clients to support them in opportunities which can contribute to the fight against climate change and improve the environment for future generations.”

Hugh Sanderson meanwhile becomes a Managing Director at KPMG, having most recently work for FirstEnergy Capital, having launched and led the Canadian firm’s successful London platform. He boasts 20 years of investment banking experience having worked on over 200 financings with UK and Canadian-listed businesses. Earlier in his career, he worked at Merrill Lynch and FirstEnergy Capital Corp as Executive Managing Director.

Sanderson added, “We have developed a strong position in a sector that will be fundamental to the future of UK jobs, the economy and meeting global climate change targets. I’ll be looking to use my experience to help clients navigate and opportunities and challenges as they play their role in the energy transition.”