Professional services firm appoints former Tesco and Deloitte veteran Jason Davies to lead dedicated division, addressing growing demands on UK mid-market and large corporates.
Leading professional services firm AAB has unveiled a new dedicated Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) practice, appointing seasoned governance specialist Jason Davies as Partner to head the London-based division. The strategic launch responds to a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape and escalating demands on businesses to bolster their accountability, risk management, and internal control frameworks.
The establishment of the GRC practice comes at a time of significant legislative and governance reforms in the UK. Recent changes to the UK Corporate Governance Code, particularly an updated version issued in 2024, now require boards to provide an annual declaration on the effectiveness of all material controls – encompassing financial, operational, compliance, and non-financial reporting controls – for financial years commencing on or after 1 January 2026. Furthermore, the implementation of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) continues, alongside the Crime and Policing Act 2026, which introduces stricter corporate criminal liability for companies where senior managers commit work-related offences. These reforms, partly driven by lessons from high-profile corporate collapses such as Carillion, underscore a broader governmental and regulatory drive to restore trust in audit and corporate governance.
Mid-market organisations, a key client segment for AAB, often contend with these increasing expectations without the extensive infrastructure typically found in larger, listed corporations. [Source Article] The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has also maintained the Consumer Duty as a critical priority for 2026, emphasizing good customer outcomes, and has finalised rules integrating non-financial misconduct into the Code of Conduct for senior management from September 2026. The rise of Artificial Intelligence also presents a “paradox” for mid-sized UK businesses, as the government favors a principles-based approach over prescriptive legislation, yet existing frameworks create a complex compliance environment, making ethical concerns a significant barrier.
Jason Davies joins AAB with an impressive career spanning over 30 years in professional services, industry leadership, and non-executive roles. [Source Article] He spent a significant portion of his career as an Equity Partner at Deloitte, becoming a partner in 2006. [Source Article, cite: 22] Notably, he served as Chief Audit and Risk Officer at Tesco for seven years, where he oversaw governance, risk, and internal audit functions during a period marked by considerable transformation and regulatory scrutiny, including engagement with Serious Fraud Office investigations and playing a core role in Tesco’s culture reset programme.
His experience also includes advising FTSE 100 chief audit executives at Gartner, and he continues to hold several non-executive positions, including a Lay Member of Council at the University of Kent and a Trustee of the Tesco Pension Scheme, one of the UK’s largest private pension schemes.
Mr Davies commented on his appointment: “Businesses are facing growing expectations around governance, risk management and accountability, but many don’t have the resources of larger listed organisations. Our goal is to help clients put in place practical frameworks that strengthen decision-making, reduce risk and support long-term growth without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.” He added: “What attracted me to AAB was its practical approach to governance. Through AAB Whistleblowing, the firm has spent more than a decade helping organisations hear and respond to concerns from their people. That gives us real-world insight into the challenges businesses face and allows us to deliver advice grounded in experience, not theory.”
The new GRC practice will augment AAB’s existing advisory services, drawing upon the firm’s extensive experience in managed whistleblowing services to offer pragmatic insights into the governance and cultural hurdles businesses encounter daily. David Purse, Head of Employment, Pay & People at AAB, emphasized the broader implications of robust governance. “Good governance is about much more than controls and compliance. It’s closely linked to culture, leadership and how organisations engage with their people,” he stated. [Source Article]
Mr Purse further elaborated on the synergy Mr Davies brings: “Jason brings exceptional board-level experience, and his appointment strengthens our ability to help clients address governance, risk and culture as part of a joined-up business agenda. By combining his expertise with the strengths already within our Employment, Pay & People team, we’re able to offer clients a more holistic approach to building resilient, well-governed organisations.”
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Jason Davies’ appointment is a testament to AAB’s ongoing commitment to investing in specialist advisory services for its mid-market and large corporate clientele. The firm, backed by Goldman Sachs Alternatives since late 2025, has demonstrated aggressive growth through strategic acquisitions. Following its recent business combination with Kreston Reeves in February 2026, AAB now boasts combined annual revenues surpassing £200 million and employs over 1,800 people across 23 locations in the UK and Ireland.
