KPMG has appointed senior partner Karen Briggs to be the firm’s “head of Brexit”
KPMG has appointed one of its senior partners as the firm's official "head of Brexit".
Ahead of many other companies and indeed the Conservative Party, the Big Four firm announced today that Karen Briggs will lead its work in advising its clients on how to manage their businesses in the wake of the surprise pro-Brexit referendum result two weeks ago.
She was formerly head of solutions, which comprised tax, deal advisory and management and risk consulting.
"Our dialogue with clients shows that they need expert support on mitigating the risks and taking advantage of the opportunities that arise from a Brexit," Briggs said in a statement.
"To ensure we can deliver both the Brexit-related services our clients are demanding, on top of business as usual, I plan to build a dedicated team.
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"We have been advising our clients to consider the next two weeks, two months and two years to assess the path ahead. Looking at our 2:2:2 model, many of our clients have been seeking advice on their immediate risks. However, we are now seeing clients look further ahead to what opportunities might lie ahead in the next two years – whether these are bolstering trading relationships with China or out-manoeuvring competitors.
"We are also engaging international clients and are observing, interestingly, predatory intentions from other European nations considering what competitive advantage a Brexit might mean for them."
Before Briggs was appointed, KPMG's vice chair Melanie Richards led the firm's response to the referendum.
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.
We have pulled together experts from across the firm to provide the help and guidance our clients need and have appointed one of our most senior partners to our executive committee to lead the charge.