Azets strengthens payroll leadership team

Accountancy and business advisory firm Azets has promoted Newcastle-based payroll specialist Claire Brown to director of payroll North.

Claire, previously associate director, steps into one of three newly created senior roles within the UK Payroll Services team, alongside York-based Julie Gunnell, associate director of growth for payroll, and Portsmouth-based Christopher Waterson, director of payroll South.

Her promotion reflects Azets’ continued investment in its payroll services, which have grown to a 160-strong UK team in just five years and earned four industry award shortlistings this year.

Claire said: “Payroll is a critical function within a business and has become an increasingly complex area over the last few years. 

“My aim is not only to ensure the smooth processing of our client payrolls but to also support employers that process their own in-house payroll to ensure compliance with legislation, and to identify where improvements can be made, whether that be for example with automation, emergency payroll cover and payroll health checks.”

Claire’s new role follows a series of senior appointments in the North East, including Claire Needham as regional managing director and Jodie Barwick-Bell as private client tax partner and family office adviser.

Stephen Abbotts, director of payroll services at Azets UK, which has regional offices in Durham, Newcastle and Wynard, added: “Claire’s promotion highlights the quality of our people and our culture of rewarding high performers, and our continued growth and the emphasis we place on planning for the future.   

“We’ve created these three new senior roles to help us build on the momentum we’ve built to date and ensure we continue to support to our clients in every sector of the economy and every part of the UK. 

“We plan to create more senior roles in the team as we continue to grow.  

“Businesses are increasingly recognising the importance of payroll as part of strategic planning and risk management, and we are determined to remain the largest provider of it in the UK while preserving the quality of service that has been the driver of our growth to date.”   

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