AAB appoints Emma Lancaster as new chief executive
AAB Group has appointed of Emma Lancaster as its new chief executive officer. Based in London, she brings over three decades of experience from audit and advisory sector, and succeeds Graeme Allan in the role.
Allan has been at AAB for 16 years, and presided over the firm as CEO since 2015. In that time, the originally accounting-focused firm has undergone a series of landmark changes – from launching a consulting division, to securing growth funding from investment firm August Equity, and using that backing to move from its Scottish origins to hold presences in England.
Looking ahead, Allan will remain on AAB’s group board of directors, and transition into a group executive director role. In that capacity, he will focus on strategic partnerships and ongoing M&A activity with the firm.
Kishan Chotai, partner at August Equity, said of the news, “Graeme has done an exceptional job leading the team since 2015 and we would not be where we are today without his strategic vision. AAB Group has never been a more attractive platform for investment and our organic and acquisitive growth journey is set to continue in 2024. We look forward to working with Emma, Graeme, and the team.”
Since securing investment from August Equity in October 2021, AAB Group has completed nine acquisitions and now employs more than 1,000 people across 12 offices in the UK, Ireland, and the US. Stepping into Allan’s shoes, Lancaster will work to help integrate the firms already acquired, while also finding further spaces for AAB to grow into in the future – on the way to targeting £100 million annual revenue in 2024.
Speaking on his successor, Allan noted, “I’m delighted Emma has agreed to join the group and lead the next part of our journey. Her experience and people-centric focus makes her the perfect choice for AAB. Her diverse background and experience in driving growth will strengthen the senior leadership team. Emma is completely aligned with our number one value that ‘Nothing is more important than our people’. I’m looking forward to working with Emma in the next phase of our exciting growth journey.”
A qualified accountant based in London, Lancaster has a lengthy track record in driving business growth through a people centric culture. After cutting her teeth in global corporate finance with Arthur Andersen, the start of the century saw her shift into a series of executive roles across the professional services sector. Most recently, she spent a decade – including four years as CEO – with Study Group, a global provider of international education. She remains a non-executive director at the firm.
Speaking on her new challenge, Lancaster added, “I am proud to be joining AAB to lead the team through the next exciting chapter of growth. The group has been founded and grown on strong values and as we continue to expand there will be endless opportunities for the businesses and individuals we work with as well as for our fantastic team delivering those services across the globe. I am delighted that I will be working with Graeme and the board of directors.”
