PwC names first female leader in Scotland

Big Four firm PwC has named Claire Reid as its first female regional leader in Scotland, to replace the outgoing Lindsay Gardiner

Gardiner is stepping down after seven years in the role to pursue a role as audit partner and member of the UK audit executive.

This move coincides with the recent announcement that the firm plans to shake up its audit practice and provide a £30m annual injection to ensure better audit quality and restore trust of investors, companies and stakeholders.

Reid, who until 1 July was head of assurance at PwC in Scotland, has been with the firm for more than 20 years, having joined in Glasgow in 1998. She has also recently been leading the technology risk practice across the UK.

Reid then spent six years in London, first as a senior manager and later director before being made partner in 2012.

Reid said she was honoured to be offered the role and that it was great to return to Scotland, which has a “dynamic and thriving economy” and provided many opportunities for businesses and communities in the country.

“I am really excited to build on our recent success and on our investment in Scotland. With my background in technology and digital change, I look forward to bringing continued energy and focus to this topic for our region,” Reid said.

PwC has more than 900 staff in Scotland and has recently opened new offices in Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Reid is an active mentor to aspiring female leaders at PwC and in other businesses. She is a supporter of inclusion, diversity and gender equality in the profession and is a partner sponsor of the firm’s mental health and wellbeing programme in Glasgow.

In June it was announced that diversity guru and global chair of the 30% Club, Brenda Trenowden, had been appointed as partner in the firm’s people consulting practice.

In March last year, PwC revealed the highest gender pay gap among the Big Four at 43.8% after it adjusted the figure to include the pay of equity partners.

In April, this year PwC was named alongside the other Big Four firms in the Times’ Top 50 Employers for Women list, which recognises employers for their leadership in workplace gender equality.

 

Originally published in Economia on 30 July 2019.