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EY has drawn up a predominantly female shortlist to succeed Hywel Ball as the firm’s UK managing partner, setting the stage for a contest that could produce the first woman to become the permanent head of one of Britain’s Big Four accountancy firms.
EY equity partners were told in a webcast on Tuesday that Anna Anthony, managing partner for financial services in the U.K.; Stuart Gregory, managing partner for finance and transformation; and Kath Barrow, managing partner for audit, had been shortlisted for the role, according to a person briefed on the matter.
It comes later Ball, who has led the firm since 2020announced in June that he would step down as managing partner and chairman of EY in the UK.
Unlike its rival PwC, which allows all its partners to vote In leadership elections, the succession process at EY is overseen by a forum of elected partners and the firm’s international heads.
The highly political process will involve “feelings” with around 200 of EY’s 930 UK equity partners, starting this week and lasting several weeks, the person briefed on the matter said.
EYE It is also splitting the roles of managing partner and president and will run a separate process to appoint someone to fill the latter role, the person added.
Last year, EY leaders attempted to stabilize the business after the Collapse of Project Everesta radical plan to split up its global accounting and consulting divisions. The firm also had to deal with a market downturn, which forced it to cut hundreds of jobs and reduce pay rises and bonuses for staff.
The shortlist of three candidates, first reported by Sky News, means EY could become the first UK Big Four firm to appoint a woman as a director on a permanent basis. Mary O’Connor served as interim UK director at KPMG in 2021.
EY appointed Janet Truncale as its global leader late last year, but its UK business – the second-largest firm in its international network – has never had a female boss.
EY said: “We have exceptional leaders across our firm and have a comprehensive process, led by our elected partner forum, to select the next EY UK and Ireland managing partner.”