PKF Francis Clark has announced a transition to new leadership in preparation for the retirement of managing partner Andrew Richards next year.
Paul Crocker has been elected to the role of chief executive officer, while Scott Bentley becomes chief operations officer. Both have been part of the firm’s management structure for some time, serving on both the firm’s executive committee and management board.
Managing partner since 2016, Richards will retire at the end of March after 37 years with the firm. During his seven years at the helm, PKF Francis Clark has grown from around 400 people to more than 900 today, with turnover more than doubling to over £60 million.
Crocker, who joined the firm as a corporate finance partner in 2015, said: “Andrew has been instrumental in the growth of the firm as a partner, office head and managing partner, while preserving our friendly and supportive culture.
“A symbiotic relationship with our clients has always been key to PKF Francis Clark’s success. As our client base has grown, our breadth of services has expanded to meet their increasingly complex advice needs. The firm has now reached a scale where we believe our new management structure will enable us to play to our strengths as we aim to capitalise on the exciting opportunities we see in the marketplace.”
Bentley, formerly a corporate partner with Winter Rule in Truro, which merged with PKF Francis Clark in 2011, added: “It’s an exciting time for the firm, which Andrew has led to a very strong position. Embracing new technology and leveraging this to continue delivering outstanding services and solutions to clients will be a key priority. At the same time, we will continue to invest in and develop our people, providing great career opportunities here in the south west.”
