Ernst & Young unveils new Manchester head

The youngest ‘big 4 boss’ in the city

Simon Allport is set to take over the reins at Ernst & Young in Manchester as office managing partner at the end of February.

Allport (44) will succeed partner Jan Gregory who has led the practice through a period of important growth in the last two years, including the appointment of four new partners in the last seven months and the addition of a series of new service-lines.

Gregory will continue to play a critical part in the business, but will focus his skills on driving growth in the firm’s audit client base – a key priority in the UK for Ernst & Young. A client-winning partner with 20 years experience, Gregory will now dedicate 100% of his time to further developing his relationships with the North West’s fast growth, entrepreneurial businesses.

He will be tasked with spurring the development of young talent in the practice and supporting Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The programme, which Gregory instigated in the North West.

A leading partner at Ernst & Young, Allport will be the youngest head of a ‘big 4’ practice in Manchester. He joined the firm as a restructuring partner from Andersen in 2002 and has strong links with the local private equity, banking and legal communities, corporates and fast growth businesses.

Allport says: “There has never been a better time to work for Ernst & Young. The firm is focusing real investment into the North West practice. We have talented people who are keen to seize the opportunities in the market and we are looking to recruit more.

“Jan has laid firm foundations and we will continue on the growth journey he has set out, strengthening our presence in the market. I’m looking forward to leading the next phase in our drive to become market leaders.”

Allport will lead a 370-strong practice at Barbirolli Square, which saw the recent appointment of new tax partner Noam Handler last month.

Jan Gregory adds: “Simon’s market experience and passion for the business makes him ideally placed to take the Manchester practice onwards and upwards. The role of office managing partner has evolved over the last 12 months and Simon will inject new skills and experiences into the business. I am delighted that he has agreed to take over the reins, allowing me to focus on driving our share of the audit market and returning to my passion for the entrepreneurial market in Manchester - the lifeblood of the city’s economic success.”

Allport lives in Bramhall with his wife and three boys. He is Chairman of Mountfield Rovers Junior Football Club in Bramhall and manages the under 14s team.

Richard King, Ernst & Young's managing partner for UK and Ireland said: "Jan has made an invaluable contribution to the success of the Manchester practice over the last two years. I'm incredibly grateful for his dedication and commitment and I know he'll continue to play a vital role in our plans for market leadership. Simon's appointment will be a great asset to the North West team. His leadership skills combined with business acumen will be a powerful force in driving our growth ambitions."