Benson Accountants has appointed Dan Thompson as managing associate.

Mr Thompson is expected to bring significant corporate, commercial and financial leadership experience to the growing accountancy practice. The appointment forms part of Benson Accountants’ wider strategy to strengthen its leadership structure and support the firm’s continued growth across Northern England and Scotland.

He will take on responsibility for the operational and commercial development of the practice, working alongside managing director Paul Benson and director Elizabeth Bainbridge.

‍Mr Thompson is an experienced chartered accountant, which began at PwC in London before gaining international experience in Australia. He brings more than 12 years of advisory and assurance experience at PwC, working across multiple industries and organisations of varying scale.

He was Melbourne Financial Controller for Crown Resorts following Blackstone’s AU$8.9bn acquisition of the business. In that role, he was responsible for strengthening financial governance, implementing finance transformation initiatives and identifying cost optimisation opportunities within a highly regulated industry.

Mr Thompson said: “What attracted me to Benson Accountants was hearing about Paul’s ambitions for the practice and the opportunity that comes with being part of a business that is growing. It’s an exciting time to be joining the team, and I’m looking forward to playing a part in what comes next.

“Having spoken with Paul and others across the practice, it was clear how passionate everyone is about their clients and about delivering brilliant client service. That really resonated with me and was an important part of the decision to join.

“I’m excited to bring my corporate and commercial experience to the practice and believe I have the right skill set to contribute to the practice and help build a strong foundation for its continued growth.”

The firm has continued to grow its team, client base and geographical presence, including the establishment and expansion of its Perth office in Scotland. The practice is now formalising and rolling out its strategy for the next phase of growth, with continued investment in its people, services and presence across the markets it serves.

Paul Benson added: “We’ve always been about building strong, long-term relationships with our clients, and I’m passionate about maintaining and developing this as the practice continues to grow.

“We’ve reached a point where bringing someone with Dan’s experience into the practice makes a lot of sense. He brings a wealth of commercial and corporate experience, as well as a different perspective from the environments he’s worked in, and I think that will be hugely valuable to us as we continue to develop.

“We’re excited to have Dan on board and have ambitious plans for our clients, our team and our practice. Dan’s appointment is an important part of realising these ambitions.”