Newcastle’s UNW reveals Fern Rivett as new audit and assurance partner

A Chartered accountancy and business advisory firm has announced a senior promotion.

Fern Rivett is now audit and assurance partner at Newcastle-based UNW.

Her promotion takes the company’s total number of partners to thirteen.

Fern began her career training with KPMG in Newcastle before joining UNW in 2012 and was promoted to senior manager in the firm’s audit and assurance department in 2017.

Acting for a wide range of clients, from start-up businesses to international groups, she works extensively with businesses across a broad range of sectors, including manufacturing, property and construction, supporting clients such as Gateshead’s Express Engineering and demolition firm Thompsons of Prudhoe.

Fern said: “I’m thrilled to be promoted to partner at such a progressive firm.

“The audit department and firm has grown consistently and I’m excited about the opportunities we have to expand our impressive client base and ensure we maintain the highest standards of client service.”

Andrew Wilson, UNW’s managing partner, added: “We are delighted to recognise Fern’s success and contribution to the team.

“She is an outstanding professional who can not only draw on a considerable breadth of experience and expertise, but who has a genuine passion for providing the highest standards of service and advice to her clients.

“We have some fantastic people here that I’m fortunate to work with and, as well as recruiting people with ‘Big Four’ experience, we’re now very much focused on training our own talent.

“This is proven by the prize-winning students we have in the team who began their career with UNW straight out of university and school.

“We have further new graduates and school leavers joining us in September as we continue to grow, and I’m looking forward to supporting them in achieving their career goals.”

The firm has also announced a series of further promotions.

Peter Sym, who joined UNW’s graduate programme in 2014, is now senior audit manager, while Laura Kendal, who joined the firm in 2014 after spending three years in a broad accountancy role, has been promoted to audit manager.

Hayley Deeming and Sarah Smart, who joined in 2015 and 2014, respectively, have been promoted to the role of senior tax manager, while Gillian Smith and Cathy Howe have been promoted to the position of tax manager.

Elsewhere, Andrew Wimshurst, who joined in October 2014 after spending almost ten years in practice, has been promoted to senior accounting services manager.

Mohammed Miah is now manager in the corporate finance team, with Jacalyn Rivett promoted to project manager in UNW’s central support team.

Andrew Wilson added: “Behind each of these promotions is a story, different in some respects, but common in being characterised by a commitment and an aspiration to being the best at what they do.

“We firmly believe in investing in our team’s development and recognising both individual and collective success.”