EY launches North West global trade team as firms ‘wake up to Brexit’

Professional services giant EY has established a global trade team in the North West.

The four members of the team, all former employees of accountancy firm BDO, are based in Manchester and led by director Onelia Angelosanto.

She is joined by Anthony Drozdowski, Nicole Blyth and Rizwaan Zabar, who will work together as they support businesses involved in international trade.

Their combined experience covers advising companies on customs and international trade matters from both a practice and industry perspective.

Onelia Angelosanto said: “With Brexit on the horizon and the implementation of the Union Customs Code duty legislation well underway, customs duty is a hot topic for businesses.

“With only a year to go before the UK exits the EU, businesses are starting to wake up to Brexit and, as such, are starting to consider the potential impact to their supply chain operations.”

She continued: “In this uncertain environment it is tricky for businesses to develop growth plans based on external factors that are likely to change. However, there is a consensus that planning ahead can give you a competitive advantage.

“We are looking to grow the global trade business regionally and take customs duty as an offering out to the marketplace, focussing on those businesses that are highly active from an international trade perspective.”

EY’s senior partner for the North West, Bob Ward, commented: “This is the right time for us to be investing in our Global Trade team and Onelia, Anthony, Nicole and Rizwaan are great additions to the team.

“I’m of course pleased to be able to say we will have their expertise and knowledge easily available to the many successful import and export businesses based in the North.”

Following the appointments, EY now employs over 20 dedicated global trade team professionals in the UK.