Professionals on the Move – Dec. 2022

Professionals on the Move is a round-up of recent hiring, promotion and staffing announcements around the professional tax and accounting space.

Katherine Sharp joins Mazars Dallas Tax Practice as Partner

Mazars, a leading audit, tax and advisory firm in the US, recently announced that Katherine Sharp has joined the Dallas office as a Partner in the Tax Practice.

Katherine has led advisory teams serving the needs of high net-worth individuals, family offices and closely held businesses, with an emphasis on succession and wealth transfer planning. Additionally, she has assisted multi-state compliance on various income and franchise tax initiatives as well as cross-border tax planning. 

Katherine received a Master of taxation and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Economics from Southern Methodist University. Katherine is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Schneider Downs Announces New Leaders for both Tax Advisory and Accounting Assurance and Advisory Services

Schneider Downs, one of the nation’s 60 largest certified public accounting firms, recently announced leadership changes for its Tax Advisory and Assurance & Advisory practices. These changes will take effect on January 1, 2023, in advance of the traditional “busy season” that takes place each Spring within the industry.

In the Tax Advisory practice, Justin Steele will assume the role of Practice Unit Leader (PUL) at Schneider Downs. Mr. Steele joined Schneider Downs as a Senior Manager from a national firm in 2017 and was elected as a shareholder in 2019.

Mr. Steele will be transitioning leadership from current PUL Sue Kirsch, who has led the practice since 2015. Ms. Kirsch will continue her focus on client service and business development, as well as the continued evolution of the Firm’s Private Family Office practice.

Schneider Downs also announced that Staci Brogan will assume the role of PUL for the Firm’s Accounting Assurance and Advisory (AAS) Practice at this same time. Ms. Brogan joined Schneider Downs as a Senior Manager in 2005 and was elected as a shareholder in 2013. She serves as the Director of Technical Matters for the firm and is also a key member of the Assurance Technical Advisory Committee. She is the leader of the firm’s Not-for-Profit Services group, as well as a member of the SEC Services group.

Ms. Brogan will transition to this role with the assistance of Don Applegarth, who has led the practice since 2017. Mr. Applegarth will assume a new role as a market leader for Schneider Downs’ rapidly growing Accounting Advisory practice.

CohnReznick Hires Two Senior Leaders for Expanding Value360 Practice

CohnReznick LLP, one of the leading advisory, assurance, and tax firms in the United States, recently announced thatVirginia Schnippel, Principal, Valuation Advisory Services, and Aaron Kolko, Managing Director, Transaction Advisory Services, have joined the firm’s rapidly expanding Value360 practice.

Schnippel comes to CohnReznick with more than 20 years of valuation and forensic services experience in public accounting encompassing domestic and international matters. Kolko, with more than a decade of audit and transactional advisory experience, will enhance the firm’s buy-side and sell-side due diligence capabilities for strategic and private equity investors.

Virginia Schnippel oversees domestic and cross-border engagements involving mergers and acquisitions, recovery and reorganization, litigation, tax, and a variety of other valuation-related advisory work. Schnippel has extensive experience in U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting and Accounting Standards (IFRS/IAS) as it relates to fair value measures. She has also participated in PCAOB/SEC reviews and served as an expert witness in litigation matters as well as tax disputes. 

She earned a BS in Accounting, Finance & International Studies from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and is an Accredited Senior Appraiser from the American Society of Appraisers. Schnippel is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, American Society of Appraisers, and Illinois Certified Public Accountants Society.

Aaron Kolko has served as the lead financial diligence contact for engagements in the middle market and lower middle market. He has comprehensive buy-side and sell-side QoE engagement experience working with private equity and strategic buyers and sellers in both the public and private markets. Kolko’s extensive industry experience includes manufacturing, retail, financial services, healthcare, and construction.

He earned a BS, Business Administration (cum laude) from Bucknell University, is a certified public accountant in Pennsylvania, and currently serves as a Young Professional Board Member for ACG Pittsburgh.

IFAC Names Asmaa Resmouki as President of IFAC

The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC), the voice of the global accountancy profession, announces the election of Asmâa Resmouki as its President. Mrs. Resmouki is the first IFAC President from the Africa-Middle East region and the third female President. She will serve a two-year term through November 2024, serving previously as IFAC Deputy President since November 2020.

Mrs. Resmouki has over 30 years of experience in the profession, including as a Big-4 Audit partner at EY and Deloitte. In 2020, she started her consultancy practice where she has been assisting different organizations in projects relating to the profession and to advisory services. 

Jean Bouquot Named Deputy President

IFAC also announced the election of Jean Bouquot as Deputy President.  Mr. Bouquot joined the IFAC Board in November 2020. Mr. Bouquot served as president of the CNCC from 2017 to 2020 and was also a President and Deputy President of the Compagnie des Commissaires aux Comptes (CRCC) de Versailles from 2015 to 2017. He currently serves as a Board member of the Fédération Internationale des Experts Comptables et Commissaires aux Comptes Francophones (FIDEF).

Mr. Bouquot has over 42 years of experience as an auditor in various positions with a wide exposure to international activities. He was a Partner with EY from 2002 until 2020 and was in charge of the company’s assurance service line for France/Luxembourg/Maghreb from 2008 to 2015.

New Board Members Elected

IFAC also announced new board members, maintaining a female-majority board for the fourth consecutive year. The new appointments and membership decisions were approved at IFAC’s 2022 Council meeting, held on November 15.

New Appointments

Ms. Kathryn Byrne (AICPA, USA)

Mr. Francisco A. M. Sant’Anna (CFC / IBRACON, Brazil)

Prof. Sidharta Utama (IAI, Indonesia)

Reappointments:

Mrs. Fiona Wilkinson (CCAB (ICAEW), UK)

Mr. Yeong Kyun Ahn (KICPA, Korea, Republic of)

Ms. Joan Curry (CAI, Ireland)

Ms. Caroline Gardner (CIPFA, UK)

Dr. Winnie Nyamute (ICPAK, Kenya)

Mr. Ismaila Zakari (ICAN, Nigeria)

New IFAC Member Organizations Admitted

In addition to the election of new Board members, the IFAC Council also approved a new member and new associate member organizations.

New IFAC Member:

Ordre National des Experts-Comptables et des Comptables Agréés du Burkina Faso

New Associates:

Association of Professional Financial Managers (Azerbaijan)

Ordre National des Experts Comptables et des Comptables Agréés du Mali

Qatari Association of Certified Public Accountants

Auditors’ Chamber of Ukraine