EY has today announced the appointment of eight new partners to its Thames Valley and South offices as it continues to make significant investments in top talent to meet client demand and support the growth of the business. The appointments include seven internal promotions at EY’s office in Reading and one external hire in Southampton.
Antony Curmi, Carl Stone, Chris Lewis, Dan Dennett, Jane Musyoki, Laura Letts and Oliver Fitzsimons have all been promoted to Partner at EY’s Reading office, while Eric Le Martret has joined the Southampton office as Partner.
Across the UK, EY has strengthened its partnership with 267 new appointments, of which 161 are internal promotions and 106 are external hires. This latest round of appointments has expanded EY’s UK Partner population by 10%, increasing the total Partner population in the UK to 1683.
The new appointments reflect the firm’s increased investment in its sectors, service lines and regional business, in areas such as Audit, Financial Services, Technology Consulting, EY Parthenon, Private Equity, and the Energy sector. 42% (112) of the new appointments are Equity Partners and around a quarter (62) of all the new Partner appointments are based outside of London.
Commenting on the promotions, Gareth Anderson, Office Managing Partner at EY in Reading, said: “I’m delighted to welcome this year’s new Partner appointments as we continue to strengthen our presence and offering in the region. With news last month that the South East of England remains a top destination for Foreign Direct Investment, this commitment to developing our people and business is key not only to supporting EY’s growth, but also the growth of our clients.
“The breadth of experience and expertise of the team will be integral in further strengthening our presence in the Thames Valley and South across Audit, Tax and Technology Consulting.
“I’d like to congratulate Antony, Carl, Chris, Dan, Eric, Jane, Laura and Oliver and look forward to seeing the positive impact that they will have on the business and our clients.”
About the new partners in Thames Valley and South
Antony Curmi has been with EY since October 2021, when he joined the Technology Consulting team in the Microsoft Services Group (MSG) practice. Antony’s promotion to Partner will see him leading the MSG business applications practice, covering private and public sector clients in the UK.
Carl Stone has worked in the Audit, Assurance department based out of the Reading office since joining as a graduate in 2010. Carl will continue to work on companies across the private and public sector, with experience within the Advanced Manufacturing & Mobility, Technology, Media & Telecoms and Consumer Products sectors.
Chris Lewis has been with EY for almost 18 years, focusing on VAT transformation, technology and systems. Chris’s admission to the Partnership will see him continue to lead EY’s ERP systems Tax business across the UK, in particular with a focus on SAP.
Dan Dennett joined EY in 2020 and has over 20 years’ experience in leading audits for private and internationally owned businesses headquartered in the Thames Valley. Dan’s progression to Partner demonstrates EY’s continued investment in the Private business sector in the Thames Valley.
Eric Le Martret joined EY in 2023 and leads EY’s ServiceNow Risk, Security and ESG capabilities in the region. He has 40 years’ experience working as a Risk practitioner.
Jane began her career in Kenya in Audit before moving to the UK and joining the EY Reading office in 2009. She leads EY’s Financial Accounting Advisory Services (FAAS) in the South and Midlands and has a wealth of experience supporting Listed groups and large Private companies in all aspects of financial reporting. Jane’s promotion to Partner will see her continue to leverage her passion for supporting finance teams so as to help companies in the region address the regulatory, financial and non-financial reporting challenges they face.
Laura Letts joined the tax practice in 2011 and has over 18 years of experience supporting fast growth, entrepreneurial businesses across the Thames Valley and South Coast. Laura works with a range of companies, including private-equity backed, listed and owner-managed businesses. Laura’s promotion to Partner will see her continue to lead the Private market tax practice across the region.
Oliver Fitzsimons has been with EY since 2003, specialising in pensions assurance over that period. Oliver’s promotion to Partner will see him continue to work with a large range of occupational pension schemes.
Commitment to Diversity
As part of the firm’s commitment to accelerating its progress on diversity, equity and inclusion, EY has clear targets to increase the proportion of female and ethnic minority Partners in its UK business to 40% female and 20% from ethnic minority backgrounds (of which 15% will be Black) by July 2025. Targets and metrics are used to drive progress at all levels of the business and also form part of the annual performance scorecards for each business unit.
The goals are supported by targeted actions to help drive progress, including leadership programmes, mentoring and sponsorship schemes for both high potential women and ethnic minority employees. EY works with suppliers to ensure job candidates are diverse and continuously reviews proportionality in performance appraisals, promotions and work allocation across gender and ethnicity. EY also continues to invest in seven employee networks, including a 3,500 strong Women’s Network and a Race and Ethnicity Network, which provide professional development and help create a culture of belonging at EY.
Of the new Partners appointed across the UK this year, 33% are women and 28% are from an ethnic minority background, of which 7% (5 Partners) identify as Black / Mixed Black. The new appointments mean that EY’s total UK Partner population is now 28% women and 17% ethnic minority, of which 8% identify as Black / Mixed Black. This compares to 27% women, 15% ethnic minority and 8% Black / Mixed Black in the previous financial year.
Gareth Anderson added:
“I’m encouraged to see the progress we’re making to increase the diversity of our Partner population, but we know there’s still a way to go. Building a diverse and inclusive culture is a top priority for EY and we’re taking targeted action to accelerate the pace of change.”