Independent business advisory and accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael has appointed a new Chair and Vice Chair as the business looks to the future and drives forward its growth ambitions.
On 1 June Mark Houston, partner and Head of Johnston Carmichael’s Glasgow office, stepped up from his previous role as Vice Chair to Chair and Lynne Walker, partner and Head of Business Advisory, took up the role of Vice-Chair. This follows the retiral of Sandy Manson, the former Chair and previously CEO of the business, on 31 May 2022 after 31 years at the firm.
Lynne, who is based out of the firm’s Elgin and Inverness offices, started as a newly qualified chartered accountant in the firm’s audit team 17 years ago. After becoming audit director in 2014 she was promoted to oversee business advisory services, becoming Head of Business Advisory in 2017 and partner in 2019. She was among three partners to join the board last year.
Mark and Lynne’s promotions are part of the firm’s ongoing commitment to growing its own future leaders, and they will play a key role in helping it to retain and recruit the profession’s top talent.
Lynne said: “The business has been fantastically supportive of my career since I joined 17 years ago, and I am committed to supporting the next generation of leaders of the firm. I am hugely looking forward to working with Mark and the Board to continue growing the positive, empowering culture we enjoy in our firm.”