Financial giant KPMG has announced the appointment of Steve Hollis as the next top man in the Midlands.
Mr Hollis will become the new senior partner and Midlands chairman when he replaces incumbent Mel Egglenton, who is set to retire from the firm in June.
The new chairman is returning to the region to head up the firm’s new office at Number One Snowhill, and will be chairman of the firm’s three Midlands offices in Birmingham, Leicester and Nottingham.
He joined KPMG Birmingham in 1982 as a newly qualified accountant. His most recent role has been as KPMG’s head of markets across Europe, Middle East and Africa with specific responsibility for client development.
He was appointed a tax partner in 1992 and promoted to Midlands senior tax partner in 1995. Three years later he served briefly as Midlands chairman and Birmingham office senior partner before moving to London in 2000 where he joined the firm’s UK leadership team and board.
He said: "The Midlands has always been in my blood so it was without hesitation that I accepted this role. I want to put the experience, knowledge and contacts I have amassed in my recent national and international roles to practical use to help drive the Midlands practice forward, and also to benefit the wider Midlands business community.
"The region has an outstanding pool of quality people and organisations across the private and public sectors that need to work more effectively together to attract further investment and encourage growth over the next five to ten years into the region.
"I am starting to work behind the scenes to pull together strategic ideas and resources from within the local business community to help make this happen and bang the drum for Birmingham and the West Midlands."KPMG in the Midlands employs more than 1,300 people, including 50 partners. More than 1,000 people work in the firm’s Birmingham office alone.
Outgoing office senior partner and Midlands chairman Mel Egglenton joined KPMG in 1976. In 2004, he was appointed to the UK board and he moved to the Birmingham office in 2005 having worked in the firm’s Nottingham and London offices where he was appointed UK head of Middle Markets.
He said: "Since joining the firm I have been very lucky to have worked with wonderful clients and gifted colleagues both in the UK and overseas.
"Steve is a natural choice and has the track record to take up this role in the region. He has an ability to motivate and lead people, and his strategic experience on client development will benefit the firm and local businesses."
John Griffith-Jones, the joint chairman of KPMG Europe, said: "I would like to wish Mel every fortune in his new career and thank him for everything he has done in his time at KPMG. We all look forward to working with Steve in his new role back home in the Midlands."
