Liew Nam Soon named as new EY Asean regional managing partner

Global professional services firm Ernst & Young has named Liew Nam Soon as its new EY Asean Regional Managing Partner, effective from the beginning of next week.

Ernst & Young’s Asean financial services head Liew Nam Soon has been appointed as the global professional service firm’s new Asean Regional Managing Partner, to replace Max Loh from the beginning of next month. Loh, who has been in the role for eight years and overseen significant growth, will continue on as the firm’s Country Managing Partner for Singapore and Brunei.

“Nam Soon brings a wealth of industry and market experience and astute commercial acumen to this leadership role,” commented Loh on his successor. “He has extensive consulting experience in large-scale business and technology transformation, as well as risk management and compliance – some of the most pressing issues that EY clients are facing.”

Crossing to Ernst & Young in 2008 as a partner in its Asia Pacific financial services division, Liew has amassed over 25 years of consultancy experience, initially joining Andersen Consulting (later Accenture) as a senior consultant in 1992 following a stint in the Singapore army. From there, he spent seven years with PwC as a partner to 2002. Prior to joining EY, Liew also held roles with IBM Global Services and Prudential.

As EY’s Asean Financial Services Organisation Leader, Liew has for the past nine years worked with some of the highest profile financial services institutions across Southeast Asia. He will now be responsible for the Big Four firm’s operations in the Asean region, which spans 14 geographic markets.* In addition, he will join EY’s Asia-Pacific Area Operating Executive, the firm’s top decision-making body in the Asia-Pacific.

“Asean is extremely diverse and one of the most competitive regions globally with great growth potential. I’m honoured to take on this role and excited to build on the strong foundations that have been laid,” Liew said. “My priorities are to further embed our strategic imperatives and accelerate on EY growth drivers, as well as ensure that we relentlessly focus on delivering connected, seamless and exceptional client service across the region.”

Continuing on as EY Managing Partner for Singapore and Brunei, as well as serving as the firm’s Global Client Service Partner for select major client accounts, Liew’s predecessor Loh has been with the firm for 17 years, before which he spent 16 years with Arthur Andersen following the completion of his degree in Accounting at the National University of Singapore in 1986.

Loh oversaw significant regional growth during his eight-year tenure as EY’s Asean Regional Managing Partner (the Asia Pacific is the firm’s hottest growth market), including a headcount expansion from 10,800 employees to nearly 19,000 today. The regional branch has also made five acquisitions during this time, including Adelphi Digital Consulting toward the end of last year.

*EY’s Asean division includes Sri Lanka, Guam, the Maldives, and North Mariana Islands together with the ten ASEAN member-states.