Three-decade company veteran Marco Amitrano has been elected to succeed Kevin Ellis as head of PwC’s operations in the UK – one of the most prestigious jobs in British professional services.
The world’s biggest accountancy firm announced on Thursday that Amitrano would become alliance senior partner for PwC UK and Middle East from 1 July 2024, for a period of four years.
Amitrano is currently managing partner and head of clients and markets at PwC UK, where he has been a partner since 2005. He has spent his entire career at the firm, joining out of university in 1992.
His previous roles have included being head of consulting for the EMEA region and global head of risk assurance services. Amitrano has sat on PwC’s management board since 2016.
PwC touted Amitrano’s work with some of the firm’s biggest clients on technology and transformation, as well as his championing of diversity, equity and inclusion, including sponsoring the neurodiversity network.
The firm started looking for Ellis’ replacement earlier this year, with several female partners reportedly tipped as leading contenders. A woman has not led PwC’s UK operation in its 175-year history.
Although it remains extremely profitable, PwC’s revenue growth lagged behind Big Four rivals Deloitte and EY in the last financial year. The firm’s consolidated profit fell to £1.3bn for the financial year to 30 June, down from £1.5bn last year.
It announced hundreds of job cuts in November as it and other professional services firms grappled with reduced appetite for advisory work amid a huge slump in dealmaking.
Amitrano said on Thursday: “It’s a huge privilege to have been elected senior partner and have the mandate to lead our people. In an era of profound change, I want to ensure we stay ahead of the curve without losing sight of what makes PwC special for our people and our clients. I’d like to thank Kevin Ellis for his exemplary leadership over the last eight years and his commitment to our people and clients.”
Ellis added: “Marco is a fantastic leader, with a deep understanding of our business, our markets and the challenges our clients face. As part of my management board, I have seen the creativity and sound judgment he brings to complex situations, and the importance he places on the firm’s values. The partners have made the right choice in the leader for PwC’s next chapter.”
