Azets to Appoint New UK&I Managing Director by Year-End
Clients of the professional services firm should prepare for a transition in regional leadership beginning at the end of 2026.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in People
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Azets is initiating a leadership transition as Peter Gallanagh prepares to step down as UK&I chief executive at the end of 2026. David Aikman, currently the company's UK&I chief financial officer, will step into the role of UK&I managing director.
Why it matters
Planned succession processes are a critical lever for continuity in professional services firms, allowing companies to stabilize strategy during executive changes. This shift signals a transition from the current chief executive to the firm's internal financial leadership.
The leadership change involves two senior roles within the UK and Ireland operations of Azets. This transition marks the departure of the firm's UK&I chief executive as he moves into an advisory capacity.
The players
Peter Gallanagh
The current UK&I chief executive of Azets who is moving into an advisory role.
David Aikman
The current UK&I chief financial officer of Azets who is transitioning to UK&I managing director.
Azets
A professional services firm providing accounting, tax, and advisory services to businesses.
The details
The change involves a shift from Gallanagh’s day-to-day oversight to an advisory function that will support the business over the coming weeks. David Aikman, who brings experience from his tenure as the firm's chief financial officer, will take over as the managing director to lead the organization's regional operations.
Timeline
December 31, 2026: Peter Gallanagh will step down from his position as UK&I chief executive.
Market Landscape
This appointment follows a standard pattern of internal succession seen across the professional services sector, where firms prioritize candidates with deep operational and financial knowledge for senior leadership. It mirrors the common practice of the 2024 Deloitte UK leadership succession, where regional growth is managed through institutional continuity.
Operators should monitor whether this change in regional leadership alters Azets' service delivery or engagement strategy for existing clients. Firms undergoing similar successions should prepare to communicate any shifts in day-to-day point-of-contact personnel well in advance of the transition date.
The takeaway
Leadership successions provide an opportunity for firms to reset operational priorities while maintaining institutional knowledge. Owners should use this transition as a prompt to review their own long-term executive continuity plans and the health of their internal pipeline.
What happens next
The transition will be finalized by the end of 2026, with an interim transition period occurring in the weeks leading up to the year-end date.
Further reading
For more on industry leadership trends, visit our People section.
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