Accountancy group EY has appointed Chris Eastman as a corporate finance director in its Bristol office as part of its expansion plans across the South West & Wales region.
Chris, pictured, started his career in 2002 at rival PwC in Bristol, where he was a member of its audit assurance and advisory team, before moving to Deloitte four years later, becoming a corporate finance assistant director, also in its Bristol office. 
He has extensive experience of deals spanning corporate disposals, management buy-outs (MBOs), raising finance, private equity, Fast Track M&A (merger and acquisition) and strategic planning, having advised on a large number of transactions over the past 10 years in the South West and nationally.
Chris Eastman said: “EY’s Bristol office has a strong reputation for corporate finance advice – a recent accolade being named the most active advisor in Wales, achieving the highest value of transactions of £2.4bn in over a decade.
“I’m looking forward to continuing this momentum by working with the region’s diverse network of entrepreneurs and businesses and supporting them with their growth ambitions.
“The corporate finance team has a number of interesting live projects and a strong pipeline. I am keen to continue to be very active in the local market, and support [senior regional partner] Richard Jones and [Executive Director] Tony Trussell in securing new work, completing transactions and delivering excellent advice to our clients.”
Richard Jones said: “This appointment is linked to EY’s commitment to growing our mid-market business. We have big ambitions for our regional business and Chris has an important role to play in helping us achieve these goals and build a better working world for our clients.”
Tony Trussell added: “Chris’s experience and expertise, as well as his standing in the local corporate finance community and business relationships, make him an ideal fit for our strategic objectives in the region.”
