Global accountancy group PwC has promoted Paul Atkinson to head of financial services for the West & Wales as it continues to build its presence in an industry worth more than £10bn to the regional economy.
Paul, pictured, replaces PwC’s Bristol-based global insurance operations leader Will Conner in the role. 
He has a long track record in financial services and will focus his energies on working closely with clients in the West & Wales to support them in achieving their strategic objectives.
Paul, who is based in PwC’s Temple Quay, Bristol office, will help promote and connect the region’s thriving financial services sector across the UK and to international markets.
Having qualified as an accountant, he spent six years at tech firm Fujitsu before working at Barclays for a further six, including a two-year secondment to the US.
He joined PwC in 2014 and has since focused on supporting a wide range of regional and international financial services clients.
PwC has more than 120 people based in Bristol and Cardiff working in financial services.
PwC West & Wales regional market leader John-Paul Barker said: “Paul’s experience and expertise in the sector will be hugely important for our clients at a time when they require support through the recovery and beyond.
“This region’s financial services market is buoyant and supporting that market and further afield is crucial to our growth plans.”
Paul added: “As we start to look beyond the pandemic it’s essential that we continue to focus on supporting our financial services clients to navigate new and emerging risks to achieve their strategic objectives.
“We know that the sector is focused on risk and regulation, resilience, culture, people and talent, the needs of the customer, and ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals, and with our extensive work in all these areas, PwC is perfectly placed to help our financial services clients move forward successfully.
“We know the financial services sector is resilient and adaptable to change, and as we emerge from a post-pandemic, post-Brexit environment I believe we will do so in a more sustainable, agile and tech-enabled way.
“We have an important role to play in the West & Wales, and I’m committed to ensuring we are supporting our current and future financial services clients in navigating this period successfully.”
In total PwC employs around 580 people in its West of England office at Temple Quay and has 12 partners across the region.
