BDO elects Iain Henderson as new senior partner

Iain Henderson has been elected as BDO’s new senior partner for the UK. He succeeds Matthew White, who has served a maximum of two four-year terms.

The role of senior partner is central to BDO’s governance, with responsibility for ensuring effective oversight, independent challenge and a strong partnership culture, as well as representing the firm externally with clients, regulators, its global network and the communities it serves.

Iain Henderson has been named as BDO’s next senior partner following a vote by the firm’s equity partners – and will take office on 1 October 2026. A long-standing BDO partner with more than 30 years of experience auditing public and private multinational businesses, he brings a strong understanding of the regulatory and public interest environment to the role.

Henderson said, “I am honoured to have been elected as BDO’s next senior partner. This is a role with a clear purpose – to drive strong governance, ensure robust challenge and oversight, and help maintain a culture where people with the public interest at heart can succeed. BDO is a firm with a long-established focus on ideas, people and trust; strong governance is critical to that.”

The appointment comes at a time of continued evolution in the professional services market, with increasing expectations around quality, transparency, risk and public trust. The senior partner plays a key role in ensuring decision making is robust, appropriately challenged and aligned to the public interest.

Henderson succeeds Matthew White, who will have completed his maximum second term as BDO’s senior partner. Prior to his first election in 2018, White was an audit partner, working within the firm since 2008. After being elected to senior partner, White prioritised a number of key projects relating to the BDO’s UK climate commitments. In particular, he led the creation of BDO’s ESG board, on which he holds the position of co-chair. The ESG board includes a number of partners and individuals from across the firm and is working towards BDO’s global commitment to becoming Net Zero by 2050 or sooner.

Commenting on his legacy, White added, “The coming years will bring continued change in our market, with evolving regulation, advancements in technology and growing expectations around quality and trust. It has been a privilege to serve as BDO’s Senior Partner for the last eight years. I have every confidence that under Iain’s oversight, the firm, our people and our clients will continue to grow and succeed.”