EY launches its first Financial Services Technology Hub in the Midlands

EY has announced its plan to establish a new Financial Services Technology Hub in the Midlands in response to the increasing demand for technology expertise outside of London.

The new Hub, located at 1 Colmore Square in Birmingham, will be run by a four-member leadership team consisting of Sagar Khandelwal, Heather Hales, Mark Wood, and Joe Murray. This move is part of EY’s growth strategy to double its UK financial services technology revenues over the next three years. The Hub will expand EY’s already-strong financial services audit and advisory technology capabilities and will serve clients across the UK.

The Leadership Team Sagar Khandelwal is a UK partner with significant expertise in digital and emerging technology. He leads large-scale digital, cloud, and data transformation programmes for financial services firms. He has also set up three similar technology hubs for EY in European locations in the past six years. Prior to joining EY, Sagar was the interim CIO & Head of Delivery for Insurwave, an insurance blockchain platform.

Heather Hales is a UK Partner who has been working in the insurance industry for over 22 years. She joined EY in 2010 and is currently leading the Insurance Technology Transformation People team. Her role is to support some of EY’s largest European financial services clients in achieving multi-year digital and technology transformation projects.

Mark Wood joined EY as a UK Partner in 2020 with over 25 years of experience in the banking sector, both in industry and on the consulting side. He has led several significant change programmes and has particular expertise in digital transformation and technology-driven strategy.

Joe Murray joins EY from BJSS where he served as Head of Ops Transformation & Sustainability. As part of EY’s technology consultancy leadership team, Joe will be focusing on helping banking clients navigate their digital transformation journeys. He has over 21 years of experience in delivering complex transformation operations and operating models for companies across different sectors. Prior to his career in consulting, Joe spent 16 years in the UK Armed Forces.

Commenting on the new Tech Hub, Martina Neary, Financial Services Midlands Leader at EY, says: “This is a significant investment in our technology business in the Midlands as we expand the range of skills and services that we’re able to provide to clients. We have a strong and growing Midlands practice and are focused on attracting top tech talent to meet the needs of financial services companies across the region and the UK.”

Commenting on EY’s new Tech Hub, Neil Rami, CEO at the West Midlands Growth Company, said: “The West Midlands’ status as the UK’s fastest growing tech sector outside of London and wealth of specialist talent makes it the ideal location for EY’s innovative new Tech Hub. The region’s critical mass of financial services businesses is also testament to the wealth of growth opportunities that the West Midlands has to offer ambitious firms. This investment is fantastic news for the region, set to bring a wave of jobs for local people, and we look forward to seeing and supporting EY’s continued expansion in Birmingham.”