Armstrong Watson promotes Steve Preston to Audit and Assurance Partner

Armstrong Watson is delighted to announce the promotion of Steve Preston to Audit and Assurance Partner.

Steve joined Armstrong Watson in 2022, after 15 years with BDO in Leeds, at the time the firm acquired ASE Professional Services in Manchester. He has already made a significant contribution to the audit service line and now heads up the Manchester office and Automotive sector.

Based between Leeds and Manchester, Steve works across both offices, which brings greater consistency and communication to help drive the business forward.

Commenting on his promotion Steve said: “It’s a great personal achievement to reach audit partner. Once I had decided that audit was the career I wanted to focus on, reaching partner was always the ultimate target and it feels good to have reached that target at Armstrong Watson. 

“I have had a great start here at Armstrong Watson, being promoted to partner, appointed head of the Manchester office as well as head of the Automotive sector, and I am very much enjoying my role. Both the Manchester office and the Automotive sector specialism are exciting prospects, and with the investment and hard work of the teams involved, we’re already seeing significant growth with even more in the pipeline.”

Paul Dickson, Armstrong Watson’s CEO and Managing Partner, added: “Steve has made a huge impression in his time at Armstrong Watson and is very deserving of his promotion to Partner. Steve has vast experience working with large international groups, listed businesses and a mix of privately-owned and private equity-backed businesses in a range of sectors, and is perfectly placed to help develop Armstrong Watson in Manchester, Leeds and the Automotive sector.

Steve’s promotion follows the appointment of Audit and Assurance Director Huw Nicholls in Leeds and the Promotion of Audit and Assurance Partner Martin Johnston in Glasgow in 2023. “Our audit team is currently performing very well,” added Steve. “We are investing in our team by developing those already here and adding staff at both a graduate and qualified level to increase the size of the team in order to deliver the success we’re currently having in the market. It’s great to see the team growing and I’m very much looking forward to seeing what we can deliver in the next 12 months.”