Deloitte has promoted Nicola Roberts, one of the firm's youngest ever partners, to the role of Head of Private Client Services. She is tasked with supporting the firm's key private clients in their respective areas of need. The firm has, in addition, promoted Shaun Curtis and Ian Goodsell to Director.
The latest in a wave of promotions within Big Four firm Deloittehave seen Nicola Roberts, Shaun Curtis and Ian Goodsell each rewarded for their hard work with the global consultancy’s UK operations. The tally of Partner promotions within Deloitte’s British offices had previously stood at 57.
Nicola Roberts has spent her entire career at Big Four professional services firms, first for 12 years at PwCwhere she rose through the ranks to become a Director. She then took up a post at Deloitte UK in 2008, and was promoted to Partner in 2011 – as one of the youngest ever.
Her most recent promotion sees Roberts take up the role of Head of Private Client Services. Her more than 20 years of professional services experience will lent to leading the firm’s relationship with its regional and global client base on tax and advisory issues. The private client services segment continues to see an influx of wealth, while rule changes surrounding Brexit create uncertainty for wealthy clients.
Paula Higgleton, Vice Chairperson at Deloitte, said, “We are delighted to have Nicola appointed to her new role. She is highly respected within the industry and her energy, enthusiasm and strategic insight will further enhance the great success we have been experiencing in the market. We have invested heavily over the past two years in expanding our services and Nicola’s appointment comes at an exciting time for us, as we seek to lead the way in bringing a truly differentiated offering to our clients.”
Nicola Roberts meanwhile commented, “Deloitte has a unique and dynamic proposition in the market with our combination of tax, family enterprise and private office consulting. I am excited and proud to lead our fantastic team of talented advisors where we will continue to focus on delivering a second to none service.”
The firm also promoted two Directors from within the firm, Shaun Curtis and Ian Goodsell.
Curtis has been promoted to the role of Director in its private client services team. He was previous a Senior Manager, having joined the firm following graduation. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Cardiff University in 2007. He will work out of the firm’s Cardiff office, focused on the entrepreneurs and their businesses. Goodsell meanwhile joined Deloitte in 2008, where, prior to his most recent promotion, he was a Senior Manager in Private Client Services at the firm’s London office. He becomes a Director in the firm’s London office, serving international family office clients.
Boosting women
These promotions come as the latest in a wave of investment in talent at the consulting firm. Deloitte currently have €200 million earmarked for client work and people development until 2020, with the firm’s new North West Europe operation promoting 149 partners, including 57 in the UK after it was launched earlier in 2017. The combination of the Belgian, Dutch, Nordics, Swiss, and UK firms have a combined staff of more than 28,000 people working for it, with annual revenues of more than €5 billion.
In total, the UK section of the new entity had previously seen the promotion of 16 in Audit & Risk advisory, 15 in its Consulting arm, 13 in Tax and 12 in Financial Advisory. In addition, one partner was promoted in the firm’s Internal Client Services segment. Around a quarter of the firm’s new personnel were in its regional offices (outside of London), while of the promotions, 23% were women and 11% black and minority ethnic in background. Deloitte remain the only member of the industry’s Big Four not to commit to the Women in Finance Charter, however the company have set clear targets to boost equal representation in their practices.
Emma Codd, managing partner for talent of Deloitte UK and Deloitte North West Europe, concluded, “We have seen positive growth in female representation amongst Deloitte UK’s new partners. In 2012 we published a target that by 2020 25% of our partners would be female. We have made great progress on gender diversity and we continue to prioritise the recruitment and retention of senior women. Female representation at partner level has increased from 14% in 2014 to 19% in 2017. Although the proportion this year is lower than hoped, we have a strong pipeline of women at director and senior manager level who are well placed to progress in the coming years.
