PwC UK deals practice admits 13 new partners
As PwC looks to reward the hard work of its deals advisory practice, and strengthen the practice’s leadership, it has announced the promotion of 13 new partners. A release from the firm notes that 46% of the directors promoted to partner within the practice are women – rising from 31% last year – while more than half of the new partner group will be based outside of London.
David Chong is a former BDO and Citi expert, who joined PwC in 2011. Becoming a partner in the PwC deals advisory wing, he boasts over 12 years of experience advising private equity and corporate clients on acquisitions and disposals of businesses. Chong specialises in financial services with a focus on insurance and payments but I also have experience across a broad range of financial services sectors.
Sally Graham joined PwC in 2006. She spent the last seven years as a director in the firm’s sale and purchase agreement (SPA) team, providing expert support at all stages of a transaction from pre-deal work through to post-completion support.
Manuela Munteanu becomes a partner after spending 11 years with PwC. A former manager in M&A financial advisory with Deloitte Romania, Munteanu joined PwC’s London transactions services wing in 2012.
Matt Tomlinson becomes a partner at PwC to lead the firm’s transactions team in its Watford office. He first joined the firm in 2002, working as a manager in assurance, before moving to transactions services via a spell in the company’s Sydney office, in Australia.
Matt Curry leads PwC’s operational restructuring lead in the South East region, working side by side with clients to identify and implement cost reduction, operational turnaround, working capital/cash improvement and rapid change programmes. Prior to focussing on the South East region he has experience of working with clients in both domestic and international markets including US, Dubai, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France and Belgium and understands the complexities of international trading.
Eleanor Scott joined PwC’s strategy brand, Strategy&, in 2001. As partner, she will continue to advise clients on corporate strategy and transactions support, focusing on consumer facing industries, and travel and leisure in particular.
Matthew Ward-Close has been with PwC since 2008, when he joined from Hamworthy Combustion – having previously been a senior project engineer there. Having spent time with PwC in the UK and Canada, he specialises in cost reduction and programme efficiency, in portfolio management and optimisation, and project and portfolio monitoring and controls.
Rebecca Elnaugh is based in PwC’s West Midlands team. A former KPMG and Deloitte tax valuations professional, she joined PwC in 2021, leading the same services line.
Jonathan Massam joined PwC in 2006, initially in the firm’s infrastructure finance wing. As a partner, he will now lead the firm’s advisory offering focusing on M&A deals involving the UK’s energy transition.
Minesh Rana is an experienced partner and qualified chartered accountant (FCA), specialising in advising clients undergoing major organisational change. His career has included working with public and private sector organisations, pension schemes, lenders, charities and regulator, while in terms of M&A transactions and turnarounds he has supported clients in the retail, health, construction, chemicals, manufacturing, insurance, transportation and logistics, media and IT sectors.
Zeynep Turunc is AML compliance professional, with legal and regulatory qualifications, combined with over 10 years’ experience in compliance supervisory and operational positions. Turunc joined PwC in 2018, in its financial crime team – and will continue to specialise in this wing of its deal advisory as a partner.
Michael Willis specialises in contract digitisation, and leads this proposition for PwC UK. He is a contract data specialist, helping clients to comply with regulatory and compliance challenges derived from their contracts such as Brexit and Libor.
Georgie Bryce has also been appointed as a partner in the deals insights and analytics team, and will lead PwC’s regional teams to deliver analytics for its clients going forward. She has been with PwC’s Manchester office since 2011.
Lucy Stapleton, the head of deals at PwC UK, commented, “I would like to congratulate our newly promoted group of partners in the Deals practice. Their appointments are a reflection of the incredible work and relentless effort they have shown to help our clients and deliver results, and demonstrates our continued commitment to investing in our Deals practice, particularly amidst a more challenging deals environment.”
The global M&A market has seen a dramatic decline in activity through 2023. However, some segments are continuing to buck the trend, with demand for health and life sciences companies, ESG and technology firms holding steady in particular.