KPMG appoints '˜head of Brexit' to help clients adapt

Accountancy giant KPMG has appointed a 'head of Brexit' to supplement its executive leadership team in the wake of last month's historic vote.

Karen Briggs becomes 'head of Brexit' at KPMG. Picture: Contributed

Karen Briggs, one of the firm’s most senior partners and formerly its “head of solutions”, takes up the newly created role within the UK business.

KPMG said that its response to the EU referendum had been led by Melanie Richards, its vice chair, who will continue to provide strategic counsel to Briggs as part of her broader role. She will also continue to sit on the firm’s Brexit response panel, which comprises senior partners and experts in areas such as tax, economics, audit, immigration and financial regulation.

Simon Collins, KPMG UK chairman, said: “Friday 24 June represents a pivotal moment in UK business history; Brexit will dominate the business agenda for some time.

“Karen has built a strong reputation in the market for working on large-scale complex, international regulatory issues, involving complex legal negotiations, for some of our most high-profile clients so is well placed to work with organisations at home and abroad as they adapt to the post-Brexit world.”

Briggs said the firm was seeing clients look at what opportunities might lie ahead in the next two years.

But she cautioned: “For some businesses, a potential Brexit is stalling activity. The M&A and IPO market would be a good example. We have seen half a dozen deals we are working on put on hold in the wake of the vote outcome.”