KPMG UK appoints new Head of Audit

KPMG UK has announced today that Catherine Burnet has been appointed as the firm’s new Head of Audit. The announcement follows the appointment in April of Jon Holt, the previous Head of Audit, as Chief Executive of KPMG UK. 

Catherine will take up her new role immediately. She was previously Regional Chair for Scotland, Edinburgh office Senior Partner and a lead partner on a number of the companies the firm audits. Her career spans more than 25 years with KPMG, working in Edinburgh, London and Chicago. Catherine is a past President of ICAS and also a member of the Financial Services Advisory Board to Scottish Government and of the Council at CBI Scotland. 

Jon Holt, Chief Executive of KPMG UK, said: “I’m pleased to announce Catherine’s appointment as our new Head of Audit. The Audit profession is undergoing significant change through operational separation with further transformation on the horizon with the proposals outlined in the Government’s white paper. I know Catherine will bring her leadership, energy and focus to lead our Audit practice through these changes. 

“Catherine’s appointment is also testament to the development of our talent and leadership within the firm. Catherine will join the Executive Committee where the broader firm will benefit from her insight and experience.” 

Catherine Burnet, Head of Audit, KPMG UK, said: “I’m delighted to be appointed to lead our Audit practice. We have much to do given the amount of change in the industry but I’m confident that by working with the great people in our business, we will continue to lead the transformation and rebuild trust in the profession. 

“I’m also looking forward to working with Jon’s leadership team and making my contribution to the wider firm’s ambitions and goals.”

In addition to Catherine’s appointment, the firm has also announced changes to its Executive Committee that simplifies the firm’s decision-making and governance under Jon Holt’s leadership.  The firm’s current executive governance of an Executive Board and a separate Executive Leadership Team will be simplified to form one Executive Committee for the firm. The new Executive Committee will consist of 14 partners from across the firm and comprise 43% women. 

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

Members of KPMG UK’s Executive Committee are as follows:

Chief Executive	Jon Holt
Chief Operating Officer	Tim Jones
Chief Risk Officer	John Bennett
Chief People Officer	Kevin Hogarth
Head of Corporate Affairs	Rachel Hopcroft
Chief Digital Officer	Lisa Heneghan
Head of KBS	Suzanne Shenton
Head of Audit	Catherine Burnet
Head of Consulting	David Rowlands
Head of Deal Advisory	Liz Claydon
Head of Tax & Legal	Vicki Heard
Head of Corporates	Dan Thomas
Head of Financial Services	Karim Haji
Head of Regions and National Markets	Chris Hearld

Catherine Burnet’s biography

Catherine is Head of Audit for KPMG in the UK, where she leads a team of 6,000 auditors serving companies from large listed corporates to family owned businesses and across the full spectrum of sectors. Prior to this she was Regional Chair for KPMG in Scotland and Edinburgh Office Senior Partner. 
 
Catherine has a career spanning more than 25 years with KPMG, working in Edinburgh, London and Chicago. She has worked primarily within the assurance function, providing external and internal audit services, but has also worked on a number of advisory projects, including IFRS conversion and client money regulations.  Catherine has worked with a diverse portfolio of clients in financial services – across banking, asset management and insurance and her experience on large listed companies combined with global audit experience means she has a well-established international network. She also spent two years on secondment to the US, working on global banking clients. 

Catherine is a past President of ICAS, having also completed a term as Chair of the Audit Committee and Chair of the Oversight Board there.  She is a member of the Financial Services Advisory Board to Scottish Government and of the Council at CBI Scotland. 

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About KPMG

KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, operates from 21 offices across the UK with approximately 16,000 partners and staff.  The UK firm recorded a revenue of £2.3 billion in the year ended 30 September 2020. KPMG is a global organisation of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Legal, Tax and Advisory services. It operates in 147 countries and territories and has more than 219,000 people working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International Limited and its related entities do not provide services to clients.