Ms Dignam joins from BHP, part of Sumer Group, where she is partner and head of digital finance. Since joining BHP in 2012, she has helped build a modern accountancy and advisory service for SMEs, with experience spanning service-line leadership, operational transformation, client experience, people development and the use of data and technology to improve outcomes for business owners.

In her new role she will work with Sumer’s regional hubs and national leadership to shape the group’s ABAS proposition, focusing on innovation, operational excellence, technology and client experience.

The appointment comes amid rapid change for the profession, with AI, automation and digital finance reshaping how services are delivered, alongside regulatory developments such as Making Tax Digital. Through its regional hub model, Sumer supports around 60,000 SMEs, combining national scale with local delivery.

The group expanded its portfolio in Scotland in 2024, through the merger of EQ Accountants with Borders-based Douglas Home & Co, taking the combined firm to 210 staff across 10 offices in Scotland and Northern England. EQ had previously sold a major stake to Sumer, funding a plan to triple turnover from £11 million to £30m.

Ellie Dignam said: “SMEs want advisers who understand their ambitions as well as their pressures, and who can turn that understanding into clear, practical support that helps them move forward with certainty.

“We have exceptional talent across the group, and the opportunity now to bring that capability together in a way that elevates the experience for every client we work with.

“I’m excited to help shape how we continue raising the bar for SME accountancy and business advisory services and ensure business owners feel supported, informed and confident at every step of their journey.”

Warren Mead, Sumer CEO, said: “This is an important appointment for Sumer and for the future of our ABAS offering.

“Accountancy and business advisory services are going through one of the most significant periods of change the profession has seen in years. Technology, AI and evolving client expectations are fundamentally changing how services are delivered.

“Ellie brings exactly the kind of forward-thinking, collaborative and innovation-led leadership we are building across Sumer. She has already demonstrated at BHP how technology and digital finance can improve outcomes for clients and teams alike.

“Our regional hub model gives us a unique opportunity to combine deep local relationships with national capability and innovation. Ellie will play a key role in helping us continue evolving our services to support SMEs right across the UK and Ireland.”

The appointment comes as Sumer weighs its longer-term ownership. Founded in 2022 by Mr Mead, former KPMG chief operating officer, the firm has grown through a consolidation strategy, acquiring more than 34 independent accounting groups in just over three years. It now has around £300m in annual revenues and roughly 3,000 staff.

Owner Penta Capital Partners has paused a potential £1 billion auction despite private equity interest, and is instead weighing options such as a continuation vehicle or a dividend recapitalisation.