EY launches Midlands financial services technology hub
Big Four firm EY has launched a financial services technology hub in the Midlands. The news comes in response to growing regional sector demand for digital expertise.
In recent years, the West Midlands has developed a status as being the UK’s fastest growing tech sector outside of London. This has also led to an influx of specialist talent in the region – something which has seen a growing number of consulting firms look to tap into the region’s innovative market.
The latest of these is Big makes it the ideal location for EY’s innovative new Tech Hub. The firm is launching a new technology hub in its central Birmingham office, expanding EY’s financial services audit and advisory technology capabilities, while serving clients across the UK.
Commenting on the new Tech Hub, Martina Neary, Financial Services Midlands Leader at EY, said, “This is a significant investment in our technology business in the Midlands as we expand the range of skills and services that we’re able to provide to clients. We have a strong and growing Midlands practice and are focused on attracting top tech talent to meet the needs of financial services companies across the region and the UK.”
The new hub will be helmed by current partners, Sagar Khandelwal, Heather Hales, Mark Wood and new hire, Joe Murray. Together, the leaders will work to help the financial hub boost EY’s wider UK goal, of doubling its financial services technology revenues by 2025.
Preetham Peddanagari, EY UK Financial Services Technology Partner added, “Birmingham, and the Midlands more broadly, is a natural place to establish a technology hub given the talent in the area and the leading financial services companies in the region. Sagar, Heather, Mark and Joe are already drawing up exciting expansion plans and we look forward to welcoming further new team members in the near future from across the Midlands.”
The region’s emerging capabilities in fields including industry 4.0, fintech and low carbon technologies, while the West Midlands’ digital employment base totals 76,000 people. This has attracted many major professional services firms to its largest cities in recent years, while others have ramped up their team with extensive hiring campaigns.
