BDO appoints Jonathan Szoke as director for ESG due diligence practice

Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO has appointed Jonathan Szoke as a director in its growing ESG due diligence practice.

Derek Neil, head of BDO’s transaction services team, commented, “We are seeing a significant increase in demand for ESG due diligence. What was once a nice to have to is fast becoming a fundamental requirement for investors considering transactions, and companies seeking to list. ESG can help enhance deal value, reduce risk, and attract responsible investors within the context of a much more demanding regulatory environment.”

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) centricity is playing an increasingly important part in economic and wider societal debates – and consumers are more and more shunning companies with poor ESG track-records. As a result, the ESG consulting market is estimated to grow to $16 billion by 2027.

Helping tap into this demand, Szoke will lead the ESG due diligence team within BDO’s deal advisory stream, providing ESG support on potential transactions and listings on public markets. With a master’s degree in environmental management, he brings more than two decades of experience working in the ESG sector.

Before joining BDO, he advised on ESG due diligence at KPMG UK, where he was an associate director. Prior to his time at the Big Four firm, he also worked in sustainability consulting with Arcadis. His previous experience also includes managing health and safety and environmental control operations on a number of clean energy projects across the African continent.

Neil added, “ESG due diligence requires a distinct skillset and knowledge base, covering environmental science, social responsibility and governance frameworks. Jono brings with him unrivalled experience in all these areas, and I’m delighted to welcome him to the team.”