EY has appointed Justine Belton to its UK LLP Board and Tonia Lovell as a UK Independent Non-Executive (INE).

Belton takes up her new role on 1 July and replaces Robert Overend, who is stepping down from the Board. Lovell joined on 1 June and will sit on EY’s UK Independent Non-Executive Oversight Committee – a governance body responsible for overseeing compliance and public interest matters in relation to EY in the UK. Lovell replaces Rosemary Martin, who retired last year and will attend Board meetings alongside EY’s two other INEs – David Thorburn and Sir Peter Westmacott.

In addition to joining the UK LLP Board, Belton will take over as EY’s UK Professional Practice Director and UK Audit Compliance Principal. Belton will play a key role in the delivery of audits, ensuring compliance with EY’s audit responsibilities and providing technical and learning support to the UK audit practice. Belton has been at EY for 27 years and an assurance Partner for 16 years. Belton has been an audit Partner on large private and FTSE 100 listed companies, and has held a variety of roles in EY’s Professional Practice Group. Belton is also a member of the ICAEW’s Audit and Assurance faculty committee.

Lovell joins EY as an Independent Non-Executive, following a 20-year career at Unilever. Lovell held a number of senior global roles at Unilever, including Chief Legal Officer (and advisory member of the Unilever Leadership Executive), Company Secretary to the Unilever Group and General Counsel for Corporate Governance. Lovell is also currently a member of the Royal London Asset Management External Advisory Committee.

Steve Varley, EY’s UK Chairman said: “Justine and Tonia take on their new roles at a significant time for the profession. They are both hugely experienced and I’m confident that they will bring the challenge and insight needed to further strengthen our UK leadership, governance and how we run our business.

“I am also proud that we are further strengthening the diversity of our senior leadership. Justine’s appointment will mean that six of the 10 positions on EY’s UK LLP Board will now be held by women.”