In the wake of sustained success across all areas of its business, North East independent chartered accountancy and business advisory firm UNW has revealed a number of internal promotions, including one to partner.
The Newcastle-based firm, which currently employs more than 170 people at its city centre offices, has a strong track record of people development. This year has seen 15 promotions across every one of UNW’s service lines – Audit & Assurance, Tax, Accounting Services, Corporate Finance and Payroll.
Many of the recent promotions are of team members who began their careers at the firm, including Brittney Marshall, a previous UNW graduate trainee and ICAEW award-winning student who has been promoted to Senior Audit Manager. Charlotte Kirton and James McGill have both been promoted to Audit Manager, having also originally joined UNW’s Audit & Assurance team as graduate trainees.
Dominic Oliver and Ben Robison, who both joined UNW’s award-winning apprenticeship programme after completing their A Levels, have been promoted to Tax Manager and Tax Assistant Manager respectively.
Other successes include Mike Blenkharn who has been promoted to partner after leading the firm’s specialist dental sector team for the last 12 months. Mike’s promotion brings the total number of partners at the firm to 16.
Elsewhere, Stacey Adams and Louise Kay become Assistant Managers in UNW’s payroll team, Joe Walsh and Katie Constable have been promoted to Senior Audit Manager and Audit Manager respectively, Claire Francis and Daniel McWilliams become Assistant Accounting Services Managers, and Kasia Durma has been promoted to HR Manager.
Andrew Wilson, Managing Partner at UNW, said: “When it comes to our team, UNW is all about creating development opportunities for those with ambition, ability, and an appetite for progression. We have a genuine strength of talent across our teams, which is very much highlighted by the number of high-quality promotions this year.
“We’re delighted to see our ‘home grown’ talent making waves in the firm. Many of this year’s promotions are of team members who started their careers at UNW, showcasing the culture of a business that gives talent the space to grow and thrive.
“Our commitment to continuing to hire, develop, and retain the best people enables us to go above and beyond in the provision of the best advice and service to our clients.”
Mike Blenkharn, Head of UNW Dental, said: “I’m extremely proud to have been promoted to partner at UNW. Demand for our all our services remains high and I’m excited to continue to lead the Dental sector team, expanding our already impressive national reach whilst maintaining excellent levels of client service.
“From the moment I arrived, the backing I’ve received from the firm and my colleagues has been tremendous and I think it’s that genuinely supportive culture that really sets UNW apart from others. There’s also a perfect balance here between a real and sustained focus on developing ‘home grown’ talent as well as creating opportunities for people joining us from elsewhere.”