Deloitte has announced Richard Houston as the next senior partner and chief executive of Deloitte North West Europe (NWE) and UK, following his election by the firm’s partners
Richard is currently managing partner for Deloitte’s NWE and UK consulting businesses, and has over 20 years’ experience in the professional services industry. He will succeed David Sproul, the firm’s current senior partner and chief executive, on 1June 2019.*
Richard started his career in the financial services industry, spending eight years at HSBC and Royal Bank of Scotland in the risk, regulatory and finance functions. He joined Arthur Andersen in 1996 and became a Partner in 1998, before transitioning to Deloitte in 2002.
During his time as leader, Richard has grown the firm’s consulting practice significantly through a greater emphasis on digital technologies and helping clients implement them successfully to transform their business. He has led a number of acquisitions to extend capabilities, including Kaisen, a leadership consultancy of business psychologists, and Market Gravity and Acne, the digital and creative agencies. Alongside this, Richard has built a number of new client offerings through the formation of strategic alliances, including with McLaren Applied Technologies.
As well as leading Deloitte’s NWE consulting business, Richard has sat on the UK executive since 2015 and is a member of Deloitte’s global consulting executive. During his career he has undertaken a wide-range of large, complex and multi-year transformation projects with clients across many industries.
Nick Owen, NWE chairman at Deloitte, says: “With the overwhelming support of our partners from all our businesses across North West Europe, we firmly believe that Richard is the right candidate to lead our firm over the next four years. Not only has Richard transformed our consulting practice during his time as managing partner, he is also a highly respected leader known for his collaborative approach across the firm’s businesses and borders. His passion to help our clients, people and society succeed in the digital age provides us with confidence that he is in a strong position to lead Deloitte in the years ahead.”
Richard Houston comments: “Deloitte brings an unrivalled depth and breadth of skills and industry knowledge to help clients solve their most complex challenges, with a commitment to the highest levels of quality and integrity. It will be an enormous privilege to lead the firm as its next senior partner and chief executive, building on Deloitte’s established pre-eminent market position.
“Our clients and Deloitte’s own profession face an era of substantial change and challenge, and we’re committed to anticipating, managing and leading the response to this. I believe such change presents huge opportunities for Deloitte to make a positive impact on our clients, people and society as a whole.”
Deloitte NWE is the second largest member firm in the Deloitte network, combining operations in Belgium, Ireland, the Netherlands, the Nordics (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden), Switzerland and the UK. It brings together over 35,000 people and 2,000 partners, combining the firm’s breadth and depth of capabilities in audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, and tax across the region.
Notes to editors
*David has served two four-year terms as chief executive – the maximum period possible at the firm.
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.
About Deloitte
At Deloitte, we make an impact that matters for our clients, our people, our profession, and in the wider society by delivering the solutions and insights they need to address their most complex business challenges.
As the largest global professional services and consulting network, with approximately 457,000 professionals in more than 150 countries, we bring world-class capabilities and high-quality services to our clients.
In Ireland, Deloitte has approximately 3,000 people providing audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Our people have the leadership capabilities, experience and insight to collaborate with clients so they can move forward with confidence.
In this press release references to Deloitte are references to Deloitte Ireland LLP. The information contained in this press release is correct at the time of going to press. Deloitte Ireland LLP is the Ireland affiliate of Deloitte NSE LLP, a member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”). DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL and Deloitte NSE LLP do not provide services to clients. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms.
Media Contact(s):
Declan Jackson
Deloitte Ireland Communications
dejackson@deloitte.ie
+353 1417 3522
Georgina Francis
Deloitte Ireland Communications
gefrancis@deloitte.ie
+353 1584 5459