Grant Thornton UK has appointed Fiona Baldwin as its head of audit. The post will now form part of the firm’s ‘Strategic Leadership Team’ and report to the firm’s CEO.
In her role, Baldwin will focus on driving quality, overseeing investments to strengthen the firm’s capabilities and ensuring the firm’s audit practitioners have the necessary skills and resources to function in their roles.
Baldwin most recently served as Grant Thornton UK’s practice leader for its central region, overseeing the firm’s operations in Milton Keynes, St. Albans and Leicester. Baldwin joined the firm in 2007 and qualified as ACA in 1995. She has led audit engagements across a range of industries, from publicly listed and larger corporates to social housing and pension schemes.
Grant Thornton UK CEO Dave Dunckley said: “Fiona’s technical expertise in audit, coupled with her leadership skills and experience will bring an invaluable perspective to both our audit practice, and in helping inform the future direction of the firm.
“The appointment comes at a time where the industry is facing unprecedented levels of change, which will require the dedication and resourcefulness Fiona possesses to help Grant Thornton navigate these changes and ensure our audit practice is fit for the future.”
Baldwin said: “Grant Thornton has a strong tradition in audit, providing services to businesses and public sector organisations across our economy and society.
“I’m delighted to become the firm’s first head of audit to join the Strategic Leadership Team, and look forward to ensuring that the changes that we are implementing in the firm and that are taking place across the industry result in the improvements in the quality of audit which our clients, the industry and wider stakeholders are calling for.”
The UK’s audit market has faced much scrutiny over the last 18 months which has seen a number of reviews propose large scale changes to the industry to increase quality and to help promote competition in the upper end of the listed market.
