EY set to more than double its presence in Manchester

MANCHESTER, 06 April 2022: EY has announced plans today to more than double the size of its business in Manchester in the next four-years, hiring an additional 1,200 people in technology, transformation, and strategy focussed roles.

Based at St Peter’s Square in Manchester, over three floors, EY’s headcount is expected to more than double from 800 to 2000 people by 2026, fuelled by the expansion of the firm’s UK Consulting business, which is led by Partner Chris Gallagher across the North of England.

The growth reflects the increasing need for public and private organisations in the region, to drive large scale strategic transformations enabled by technology, data, and people, as they respond to the impact of the pandemic, operating in a post Brexit world, geopolitical tensions, and the race to net zero.

The new recruits will boost EY’s capability in areas including: SAP, Microsoft, and ServiceNow, Cloud, Data Analytics, and Cyber. They will also reinforce the firm’s existing strengths in Finance, Risk, Supply Chain, Change Management, Cultural Transformation, and Strategy.

Stephen Church, Manchester Office Managing Partner and North Markets Leader said: “When it comes to recruiting tech talent, Manchester is a very attractive location to expand our UK Consulting practice. I’m delighted that we have secured further investment to expand our business in the city, serving such a vibrant market that is recognised as the fastest growing digital and tech hub in Europe.”

Church added: “As well as focussing on fuelling our own growth plans, we recognise the role we play in training future business leaders, who will no doubt need enhanced transformation and technology skills throughout their career, to help their businesses keep pace with change, which in turn will help them make an even greater impact in the local market.”

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “We welcome EY’s plans to expand its presence in Manchester, a decision which reflects the strength of our city-region’s economy.

“Greater Manchester is Europe’s fastest-growing digital and tech hub and we’re home to the country’s largest financial and professional services industry outside of London.

“Large, global companies like EY understand that our city-region offers access to talent and a supportive environment, while providing their employees with a fantastic quality of life.

“This investment will deliver jobs, skills, and opportunities that will benefit people across Greater Manchester.”

The announcement follows the recent launch of EY’s Neuro-Diverse Centre of Excellence (NCoE) in January this year, creating up to 100 jobs, to fuel innovation and meet clients’ business needs in emerging technologies, such as: artificial intelligence, data science, blockchain and cyber.

While EY continues to embrace neurodiversity and the value of thinking differently, learning from the contributions of its current neurodivergent employees, the NCoE is developing a leading practice for how EY attracts and retains neurodiverse talent. It is designed to create an extended supportive working environment for individuals with cognitive differences – such as autism, dyslexia and ADHD – who may not have joined the firm via its traditional recruitment process.

In addition, EY Manchester will be the next UK location, following London and Edinburgh, for a Wavespace centre, demonstrating further regional commitment to client technology and innovation investment. EY Wavespace Manchester will be part of the firm’s global network of growth and innovation centres. The Wavespace team helps organisations undergoing significant change to address key business challenges – from making complex global supply chains more sustainable to using AI to help manage tax compliance.