Four new equity partners among latest raft of promotions at audit giant PwC

Audit and accountancy giant PwC has announced four new equity partners in Scotland, alongside eight directors, among a total of 240 promotions across the country.

The promotions follow the recent announcement that more than half of PwC UK’s 20,000 employees would get a 9 per cent pay rise, with 70 per cent getting a rise of 7 per cent or more, in response to the rising cost of living and a “competitive” recruitment market.

The admission of Katrina Hallpike, Ross Marshall, Kenny Munro and Stuart Copland - all of whom were directors in the Scotland firm - to the partnership reflects “significant investment in the scale of the practice”, the firm said.

Jason Morris, regional leader for PwC Scotland, said: “Not only is it fantastic to welcome four new faces into the partnership in Scotland as well as eight new directors, it’s also wonderful to see so many of our people being promoted into new roles across our offices in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, across all grades. Our people are our business, so it goes without saying that I’m incredibly proud to see so many members of the team in Scotland take the next steps in their careers.

“The level of performance this year is testament to the excellent work that has been delivered by our teams in Scotland, and these promotions signal our ongoing commitment to increasing and strengthening capabilities across the local, national, and global industries and markets that our Scottish teams serve.”

A partner in PwC’s deals practice, Hallpike holds a UK national role focused on technology and financial services valuations while retaining a presence in Scotland. The valuation specialist spent the first three years of her PwC career in the Channel Islands, and has held roles in London and Singapore as well as Scotland. She has been with the firm for 17 years.

Marshall, private business tax leader in Scotland, joined PwC as a graduate in 2002 before rejoining the firm in 2017 as a director tasked with growing Scotland’s private business tax practice. Having worked with “some of the country’s leading entrepreneurs and private firms”, his focus will remain on growing PwC’s tax and wider private business offering north of the Border.

Munro, who joined the practice in 2007 as a graduate, now leads the firm’s 60-strong digital audit team in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England. He will also be involved in the firm’s “Tech We Can” programme, which aims to encourage young people to consider careers in technology.

Kenny Munro, Katrina Hallpike, Ross Marshall and Stuart Copland, of PwC.

Consulting partner Copland, who has been with the firm for 14 years, focuses on “technology-enabled operations transformation” across the energy, utilities and renewables sectors.

PwC has also named eight new directors in Scotland, four of whom are female. They are Alison Smith, who specialises in corporate tax in Aberdeen; Glasgow-based Andy Blundell and Laura McIntyre who work in deals and audit, respectively; Edinburgh-based auditor Moyra Anne Vipond; tax specialists Matthew Cooper and Mark Hill, both based in Edinburgh; and Emily Thomas and James Dean, both of whom work in Edinburgh’s risk practice.