KPMG UK head John Griffith-Jones has been appointed chairman of KPMG’s Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMA) region. EMA comprises more than 3,000 partners and 55,000 staff in 105 countries.
Griffith-Jones takes over from Ben van der Veer, who is also retiring as the senior partner of KPMG’s member firm in the Netherlands. The new EMA chair will continue in his role as joint chairman of KPMG Europe as well as maintain his focus on the UK marketplace.
Griffith-Jones joined KPMG in 1975 and has held several senior positions in the audit and corporate finance practices.
He was chief executive of KPMG UK for four years and was appointed chairman and senior partner of the firm in 2006.
“I am looking forward to the challenge of ensuring that KPMG continues to expand in a region that includes some of the world’s fastest-growing economies,” he said.
KPMG has also appointed Alan Buckle as head of its global advisory practice, which accounts for more than 30,000 professional partners and staff in the global network.
Buckle was previously chief executive of KPMG’s advisory practice in Europe and led the firm’s consulting arm, prior to its separation and sale.
His clients have included global corporations and government agencies.