The appointment of Lucy Higgs as a new Azets Partner leads a raft of promotions at all levels across Azets’ business in the Solent region, and brings the total number of recent promotions in Azets’ offices in the South East to 35. Azets is the UK’s largest regional accountancy firm and business advisor to SMEs with offices across the UK, including many in London and the South East.
Based in the Winchester and Romsey office, Lucy has over 20 years’ experience working with private clients and her large and diverse client portfolio includes high net worth individuals, partnerships, entrepreneurs and owner managed businesses. Lucy uses her wealth of experience to advise on income and capital taxes planning including residence and domicile matters.
In addition, Emma Lawrence and Jez Howson are both appointed as Directors in the Southampton office.
Director of Tax Jez Howson joined Azets (formerly known as Wilkins Kennedy) in March 2019 as an Employment Tax specialist supporting colleagues and clients in the Southampton office, and increasingly throughout the UK. His career in tax began with the Inland Revenue some 32 years ago, where he worked for a total of 19 years. As an Employment Tax specialist, Jez has a broad range of knowledge and assists both colleagues and clients to deal with employee/director issues around tax/national insurance requirements. This includes compliance related issues, reviewing company policies, provision and treatment of benefits to employees, workplace definitions, Construction Industry Scheme, IR35 and employment status, the Apprenticeship Levy and car policies.
Also newly promoted to Director of Tax, Emma Lawrence started her career at Azets (previously known as Wilkins Kennedy) in 2008, after graduating university with first class honours in Accounting and Business Law. After working briefly with another accountancy and business advisory firm, in 2016 Emma returned to Wilkins Kennedy, concentrating on SMEs and owner managed businesses. Emma has a broad range of experience in various industries and assists corporate clients with restructuring, capital reduction demergers, company sales and succession planning, share schemes, capital allowances and research and development claims.
Other Azets employees based in the Solent region who have also earned promotions include Liz Kennett, Louis Nutland and Gareth Williams in the Winchester and Romsey office, and Philip Strickland and Kelvin Lawrence in the Southampton office. The latter all become Associate Directors.
Adam Wilson, Branch Managing Partner at Azets in Southampton and Portsmouth, said:
“Azets is growing fast and in order to fulfil our ambitious expansion plans it is vital that we not only recruit the right people, but that we look after and promote the most talented into positions where their extensive knowledge and experience will benefit the company. We are investing heavily in training as well as offering a hybrid working environment. These appointments are very well deserved, and we offer many congratulations to our newly promoted staff across the Solent region and throughout the South East.“