KPMG UK strengthens crypto and payments team as it expands disruptive tech offering

KPMG UK has appointed Peter Harmston as a partner and Ian Taylor as a director within the firm’s financial services practice, as it strengthens its offering to clients in the disruptive technology space. Peter will lead the development of the firm’s payments practice while Ian will lead the firm’s crypto and digital assets team.

Peter re-joins KPMG UK from KPMG Australia, where he was head of the financial services transformation team. He worked at KPMG Australia for over 11 years and co-led the development of the Australian payments practice, as well as leading the implementation of faster payments architecture across the Australian banking sector. Prior to moving to Australia, Peter’s work experience includes stints at KPMG UK and Royal Bank of Scotland.

Ian has over 20 years’ experience working in capital markets and disruptive technologies. Prior to joining KPMG, Ian was the executive director of Crypto UK, the UK’s trade association representing more than 120 companies from across the UK digital asset sector. Before joining Crypto UK, Ian led teams across many global banks, specialising in FX, fixed income markets and liquidity management, among others. Ian will continue to have an advisory role at Crypto UK alongside his new role at KPMG.

Karim Haji, UK and EMA head of financial services at KPMG, said: “We have a thriving financial services practice that is committed to recruiting, retaining and building the best talent, and Peter and Ian are great additions to the team. They both work in fast evolving and disruptive sectors and it’s fantastic to offer our clients additional high calibre expertise in these areas.”

Peter Harmston, partner at KPMG UK, said: “I’m really looking forward to be working at KPMG UK again having just moved back here from Australia. We have a huge opportunity to build on the great work we are doing with clients in payments transformation and I’m excited to help them navigate the rapidly changing payments landscape.”

Ian Taylor, head of digital assets at KPMG UK, said: “I’m delighted to join KPMG UK to lead the digital assets team as we continue to build out our capabilities and expertise in this space. KPMG’s financial services practice offers clients market-leading advice on digital assets and I’m really looking forward to working with the team to help our clients in this ecosystem.”