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The Executive Board

Ian Powell Ian Powell, Chairman and Senior Partner, is responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of the UK firm and its role in PwC's global network. His background is in Assurance and Restructuring, where he has advised leading international financial institutions and corporates. Ian joined the firm in 1977, became a partner in 1991 and has worked in Birmingham, Manchester and London. He has a degree in Economics from Wolverhampton Polytechnic. He previously headed the Advisory practice.

James Chalmers James Chalmers, Head of Strategy and Talent, graduated from Oxford University with an Engineering degree and joined the firm in 1985, becoming a partner in 1997. He has extensive experience providing Assurance services to multinational clients and has been on long-term secondments to clients in the banking and healthcare sectors. Before joining the Board, he was a member of the Assurance leadership team.

Richard Collier-Keywood Richard Collier-Keywood, Managing Partner, is responsible for the overall management and performance of the business as well as our community affairs programme. He read Law at Warwick University and was called to the Bar in 1983. He joined the firm in 1987 and became a partner in 1992. He was previously head of the firm's Tax practice.

Kevin Ellis Kevin Ellis, Head of Advisory, graduated in Industrial Economics from Nottingham University, joined the firm in 1984 and became a partner in 1996. Until recently, he was head of Business Recovery Services.

Owen Jonathan Owen Jonathan, General Counsel, is responsible for the Office of General Counsel and enterprise risk, including compliance and independence. He read Law at the University of Bristol. Before joining the firm as a partner in 2000, he was a partner at City law firm Norton Rose and subsequently CEO of South China Morning Post (Holdings) Limited of Hong Kong.

Barry Marshall Barry Marshall, Head of Tax, has an MBA from Warwick University. Barry joined the firm in 1980 and became a partner in 1988. Barry's international experience includes acting as the global leader of our international tax structuring network.


Kevin Nicholson Kevin Nicholson, Head of Regions, works with the Regional Leaders on strategy, planning and execution. He graduated from Newcastle Polytechnic with a degree in English and History. He joined the firm in 1991 and became a partner in 2000. He has spent time in the North East, New York and Hong Kong and previously headed our Entrepreneurs and Private Clients division.

Paul Rawlinson Paul Rawlinson, Head of Markets and Industries, is responsible for driving revenues across our top tier client base and put in place the Industry and Segment programmes that will ensure effective cascade of learning and credentials from our brand-defining clients. He has a History degree from Cambridge University, joined the firm in 1982 and became a partner in 1994. Paul has extensive experience as a Transaction Services partner in the Private Equity and Corporate markets.

Richard Sexton Richard Sexton, Head of Assurance, is responsible for the management and operation of the Firm's UK Assurance practice which includes PwC’s audit, risk assurance and transaction services business areas. He has a degree in Mathematics and Business Finance from Southampton University and joined the firm in 1980. He has been a partner for 17 years and spent time in New York and Hong Kong. He previously led our London Assurance practice.

Keith Tilson Keith Tilson, Chief Financial Officer, is in charge of Finance and Operations. He read Economics at Cambridge University. After joining the firm in 1976, he spent four years in Sydney and became a partner in 1988. Before taking up his current role, he was Managing Partner Operations and Finance and before that Head of Advisory.


The majority of our Executive Board maintain significant client facing responsibilities.

The Supervisory Board

The Supervisory Board, which is independent of the Executive Board, is elected by the partners. Its meetings are held monthly and are attended by the Chairman of the Executive Board, as an ex officio member. The three-year term of office of the current Supervisory Board ends on 31 December 2009.

The Supervisory Board provides the Chairman with guidance on matters of actual or potential concern to the partners. It is also responsible for approving the Annual Report, for recommending the admission of new partners, for overseeing the process of electing the Chairman and for checking that our policies on partners’ remuneration are being properly applied.

The Senior Management Remuneration Committee is a committee of the Supervisory Board. It makes recommendations to the Supervisory Board, which sets the Chairman’s profit share, and it approves the Chairman’s recommendations for the profit shares of the other Board members.

The Audit Committee is a committee of the Supervisory Board that has responsibility for reviewing the policies and processes for identifying, assessing and managing risks within the firm. It oversees the management of those risks, including financial control, compliance and independence. It also reviews the firm’s financial statements and considers the scope, results and effectiveness of internal and external audit, including reviewing the external auditors’ independence and any non-audit services and fees. The Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel, together with the internal and external auditors, attend the committee’s meetings by invitation. It met six times in the year ended 30 June 2009 (2008: five times).

The members of the Supervisory Board, all of whom served throughout the period, are:

Gerry Lagerberg*, Chairman
Pam Jackson, Deputy Chair
Mohammed Amin†
Clare Bolton*
Colin Brereton
John Dowty†
Roy Hodson*††
Gordon Ireland**
Mike Karp
Ron McMillan (to 30 June 2009)
Pat Newberry†
Ian Rankin*†
Duncan Skailes
Julia Smithies*
Graham Williams†
Ex officio member:
Ian Powell

*    Senior Management Remuneration
      Committee member
**   Senior Management Remuneration
      Committee Chairman
†    Audit Committee member
††  Audit Committee Chairman

Building relationships

Glyn Barker, Vice Chairman, comments on the firm’s senior decision-maker programme, which brings together current and future leaders from the public and private sectors.

'Board members are facing greater challenges than ever before in terms of rising expectations, regulatory requirements and legal obligations. PwC is in a unique position to help. We have an unrivalled network with senior decision makers in the public and private sectors; contacts that have been built over many years of client service.

‘And within the firm we have leading experts in every aspect of Board responsibilities and corporate leadership. Our senior decision-maker programme brings together these two groups to share their experiences and learning.

'We also believe that PwC should play its full part in developing the next generation of Board members for the public and private sectors. We have a range of programmes focused on helping to prepare these future leaders.

'I know from the time I spend talking to senior figures that they value the chance to spend time both with their peers and with experienced partners from PwC to discuss some of the common issues they face leading large organisations. And alongside these meetings we regularly research and publish briefings on the latest trends and best practice.'

Glyn Barker Glyn Barker, Vice Chairman, was appointed Vice Chairman of the Firm in July 2008. On the Management Board, Glyn was Managing Partner responsible for Clients Markets from 2006 to 2008 and between 2002 and 2006 he was head of the Firm's Assurance practice. Prior to that he established and ran the Firm's Transactions Services business. Glyn joined the Firm in 1975 and has a First Class degree in Economics from Bristol University.

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