Neil Gray, the accountant who built up a heavyweight practice in the property and construction sector, is leaving Nottingham.

Mr Gray, who joined Tenon from PKF three years ago, is off to run the listed  accountancy  group's southern regional offices based in Reading, Basingstoke, Windsor and Southampton. Mr Gray, a corporate finance specialist, pledged today that he will still be turning a deal.

He said: "I'm really looking forward to the new role. While I will still be doing some deals, my key responsibilities will be overseeing all of the offices in these regions.

"I've had a number of responsibilities since joining the East Midlands team but feel the time is right for a new challenge so from my perspective it's great that I've been able to progress to the next level in the same company."

The southern offices of Tenon turns over £45m a year.

Mr Gray said he will have a base in Reading but continue to live in Notts.

"It is another challenge," he said.

Mr Gray began his career after graduating in Nottingham, with Spicer and Oppenheim, before joining PKF.

"Southern region is big with 450 staff - twice the size of the East Midlands region with only two offices.

"The challenge is to make it more profitable and grow."

Mr Gray said he would be keeping four corporate clients based in Nottingham.

Paul Bevan, previously director of corporate finance, will become head of the corporate finance team.

Managing partner Alistair Wesson said: "Tenon recognise the importance of its people and as a result are always keen to promote from within whenever possible.

"Both Neil and Paul alongside the rest of the team have had an outstanding year and have delivered exceptional results advising on a record number of deals.

"Whilst we are disappointed to be losing Neil from the region, Tenon as a group and the south as a region will benefit from the skills and expertise that he will take to his new role and, of course, we have a more than capable replacement in Paul who we believe will take the corporate finance team forward to even greater success."

Mr Bevan said: "We have an outstanding reputation within the deal-making community so are now in a great position to further develop our offering and work much closer with people from our new city centre location.

"It has been a great year for us but we're already looking forward to next year and improving on that success."

Last year, the Nottingham team advised on more than 15 deals with an aggregate value of £100m.

These included:

instigating and bringing together all of the parties involved in the VC-funded management buyout of BWB consulting

advising on the sale of Joynes Pike to Opus International Consultants, finding the New Zealand based buyer

advising on Ulverscroft Group Ltd's acquisition of French language publisher La Jolie Ronde.

Source: Nottingham Evening Post

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