UK top 10 accountancy firm Azets has bolstered its South region with a strategic hire to drive new business.

Oliver Gale has been appointed as regional Business Development Director with the task of growing its presence and revenues across London.

Based at Azets’ London Bridge office, he has joined after seven years in a similar role at KPMG in the capital. Occupying a newly created position, Oliver will be out in the marketplace driving new business for the firm. He said:

“After seven fantastic years at KPMG, I was looking for a new challenge and was struck by the exciting journey that Azets is on. I’m very excited to have joined such an agile and go-ahead operation."

“Azets has come a long way in the last few years but it feels like there remains a huge opportunity in London. I am here to help the firm take advantage of that. I will be looking to drive brand awareness and London business community knows exactly what we represent.”

He added: “I have made a career in monetising relationships with key stakeholders within my clients. Over the past seven years, I’ve worked with a number of multi-billion-pound FTSE organisations down to pre-revenue start-ups – and am very experienced in supporting them across a number of traditional accounting and non-accounting challenges."

“I believe it’s about having business-led conversations with their key stakeholders, building that trust and rapport – so when they do need something they know where to come. I like to really get to know my clients by taking an interest in their personal life as well as their businesses. I fully believe that the personal touch is vital in today’s business world.”

Oliver, who lives in Billericay, Essex is married with one daughter and is a keen sportsman in his spare time, having played rugby union to a high standard in his younger days.

Ian Jefferson, London Regional Managing Partner at Azets, said:

“Oliver is a seasoned operator whose skill sets and enthusiasm for business generation will be of immense benefit to our London office."

“He has hit the ground running and is already a valued and popular member of our team. His expertise and effectiveness at building relationships with clients is second-to-none as his past results have shown."

“Oliver will be an important asset as we seek the continued growth of our London operations and expansion of our offering to a wide range of potential clients across the city.”

Donald Boyd, Azets’ Partner and Head of Growth & Sales, said: “

Azets is a large operation – our 8,200 talented people support more than 100,000 clients through our network of 189 offices across Northern Europe – but seeking further growth is the key to continued success."

“We are in an early phase of our latest, ambitious five-year strategic growth plan which looks to build upon our current strengths to propel the business forward through delivering long-term goals of driving revenue growth and expanding business opportunities."

“To achieve success we must be in a position to take advantage of these numerous opportunities – and the driving force behind that is our people – acquiring and retaining top talent to get the right people in the right places to secure our objectives is crucial.”

Photo: Strategic Hire: Oliver Gale has been appointed by Azets as regional Business Development Director for the South region with the task of generating new opportunities, particularly in London