EY appoints Deputy CEO and unveils new board members

A number of senior leaders are set to take up new positions at EY next month alongside incoming CEO David Larocca, with a new deputy CEO and chief sustainability officer also appointed.

Professional services firm Ernst & Young is set to undergo a further leadership reshuffle when CEO-elect David Larocca takes the helm at the beginning of next month, according to industry publication Accountants Daily.

Partners Scott Grimley, Leigh Walker, Grant Peters, and Jenelle McMaster will all assume new senior posts, the latter as Deputy CEO, while Jono Nicolas and Mathew Nelson have also been appointed to new chief positions.

Jenelle McMaster

McMaster, Oceania Markets Managing Partner and EY’s People Advisory Services Asia Pacific Performance Leader, has been named as the firm’s Deputy CEO – in what is a newly created role. McMaster has been tasked with “driving growth across the firm with a focus on uniting markets and service lines”, while also being responsible for the firm’s “NextWave” strategy. She has been with EY since 2007.

Scott Grimley

Currently leading EY’s regional Mining & Metals and Government, Defence, Transport & Health Sciences Tax practices, Scott Grimley will reportedly take over as Oceania Tax Managing Partner from Geoff Blaikie, who will continue his three decade career with the firm. Based out of Perth, Grimley first joined EY in 1999, and was made partner in 2005. He has previously served as Tax Leader for both the firm’s Melbourne and Perth branches.

Grant Peters

In his 25th year with the firm and presently serving as Asia Pacific insurance sector boss, Peters is said to be taking over as Oceania FSO (Financial Services Office) leader, with incumbent Graeme McKenzie moving into a newly created Asia Pacific FSO COO role as he pushes toward four decades of EY service. Peters also presently heads EY’s Financial Services Advisory (consulting) practice in Australia and New Zealand.

Leigh Walker

Walker is set to replace the retiring Kim Morison as Oceania Risk leader, after joining from KPMG in Melbourne in 2016 and being promoted to partner three years later. Walker is currently EY’s Regional Independence leader, and was an Associate Director for Ethics & Independence during the latter half of her decade-long stint at KPMG. She initially kicked off her career as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen in Scotland in 1996.

Jonathon Nicolas

Jono Nicolas, the former CEO of youth mental health organisation ReachOut Australia, has meanwhile been named as EY’s new Chief Mental Health Adviser, to provide consultation for clients. Nicolas joined EY shortly after departing ReachOut after eight and a half years in late 2018, at which time he also founded the Wellbeing Outfit, a human resources advisory focused on mental health. He further established sister ESG consultancy, Impact Outfit.

Mathew Nelson

Announced earlier this month, Mathew Nelson is also set to take up the newly created role of Chief Sustainability Officer. Presently EY’s Global Climate Change and Sustainability Services Leader out of Melbourne, Nelson first joined the firm in 2003, and also serves as Asia Pacific Leader for Financial Accounting Advisory Services. In addition, he is the Chairperson of the Australian branch of global environmental charity Earthwatch Institute.

“We know that environmental, social and governance (ESG), sustainability and climate change are broad agendas impacting clients across their entire organisations, functions and operations,” said Larocca, who will himself be replaced by Shannon Cotter as Strategy & Transactions leader. “In this new role, Mathew will bring together all activity across service lines, industry sectors and markets so that we can go to market with a whole-of-firm approach.”