EY’s Aberdeen Partnership is now home to the firm’s Global Oil and Gas tax lead and a new equity partner, reflecting the firm’s continued investment in its people and the growth of the business in the North-east of Scotland.
Senior partner Derek Leith has been promoted to Global Oil and Gas tax lead after holding a similar role in the UK for 10 years. He has more than 30 years’ experience of oil and gas taxation, guiding UK and foreign investors - multinational companies, private equity funds and National Oil Companies - through all aspects of the tax landscape. He remains based in Aberdeen and committed to his role as EY’s Aberdeen office managing partner.
New to the EY Partnership in Aberdeen is Gemma Noble, audit partner, who joined the firm in 2005 as a graduate following a six week placement as a Summer intern the previous year. She graduated from Aberdeen University with an MA Hons in Accountancy and Finance and in 2012 won the title of Young Accountant of the Year at the Scottish Accountancy Awards.
As a partner Gemma will continue to deliver services to a portfolio of clients and grow the business in Aberdeen, particularly in the private middle market. Her experience is predominantly, but not exclusively, in oil and gas with a keen interest in innovation and the application of new technologies within the sector to deliver greater efficiencies and growth in the North Sea. Gemma’s work also helps support the continued diversification of the economy in the North-east including the life sciences and technology sectors as well as the local entrepreneurial community.
Derek Leith, said: “EY’s presence and role within the business community in the North-east of Scotland will be reinforced by the addition of Gemma to the Partnership. She is a highly skilled and talented person who has excelled in her career in her home town. She will be an extremely valuable business advisor in the North-east as the local economy strives to grow through diversification and innovation within the oil and gas industry.
“My new Global role will help bring an added international dimension to my position within the UK oil and gas industry. I will be able to reinforce existing relationships while also build new connections between the North-east’s oil and gas industry and key locations around the world.”
Glasgow’s Dan Gill joins Gemma as a new equity partner in Scotland. The pair are two of the 71 new EY Partners in the UK. 41, including Gemma and Dan, were promoted internally and 30 were direct entry Partners who joined from competitors and industry. EY also promoted 63 Associate Partners, including six in Scotland, taking its total Partner promotions from 1 July to 134.
Dan is an advisory partner within EY’s Energy practice with a focus on Power and Utilities after joining the firm in 2013 with a previous 11 years of industry experience. He works with clients who have responsibility for energy pipes and wires on large transformative projects. This could be as a result of regulatory scrutiny, new ownership, increased customer expectations and/or significant advancements in technology.
Mark Harvey, EY’s senior partner, Scotland, commented: "The appointment of Gemma and Dan are a reflection of both their individual skills, as well as the investments we are making in our business here in Scotland.”
Gemma is the eighth woman to join EY’s Partnership in Scotland in the last four years which means 62 per cent of new equity Partners in Scotland since 2015 have been female. The proportion of female Partners in Scotland has also increased to a new record high from 32 per cent last year to 41 per cent this year.
Mark added: “The future of our business, and others, depends on our ability to be innovative in an incredibly fast paced world. To make that happen we must have a workforce that has diversity of thought, perspectives, experiences and skills.
“I am particularly pleased to see efforts to diversify our leadership are making a difference with a further increase the representation of women in our Partnership in Scotland. This is in addition to half of our senior leadership roles in Scotland being fulfilled by women.”
In relation to Derek Leith’s new role Mark said: “I am delighted to see the talent of EY’s Scottish leaders recognised on the international stage with the promotion of Derek Leith to a Global role. This is a reflection of the high calibre of our people in Scotland and establishing this position in Aberdeen is another signal of the city’s credentials as a world-leader within the oil and gas industry.”
The six people promoted to sssociate partner in Scotland are: Alan Campbell in Tax, Oli Henderson in Transaction Advisory Services (TAS), Scott Kenyon, Gary Logan and Tony McCormack in Advisory and David Storrie in People Advisory Services (PAS).
