Simon Michaels

Simon Michaels is Ankura’s Chairman of EMEA & APAC, based in London. He has extensive board level experience, having worked with both management teams and investors to drive growth, create value, and drive transformation and improvement. Simon has experience as a chairman and CEO and advising businesses of varying complexity and size across a range of industries. He has particular expertise in the services sector.

Prior to joining Ankura, Simon was managing partner of BDO LLP UK a substantial accounting, business advisory, and expert services firm for the maximum of eight years. During this period, he was chairman of the leadership team and CEO responsible for setting the strategic direction of the business, ensuring its operational effectiveness, determining investments, and managing reward and recognition of all partners and people. The business delivered significant revenue and profit growth, with income of £435 million, employing over 4,000 people, and working with 30,000 clients. Simon also represented the firm externally and managed relationships with major stakeholders including regulators, professional bodies, media, clients, and competitors. His other responsibilities included leading the business through the financial crisis driving significant operational change to underpin long-term sustainability; overseeing a market leading merger with PKF (revenue £90 million, 10,000 clients and 1,000 people); instigating a digital transformation programme to deliver software as a solution, cloud accounting, client portals and data analytics; and navigating a complex regulatory regime, including an increased focus on quality to enhance the firm’s reputation, giving evidence to public enquiries on the future of the accounting profession.

Simon was also director of BDO International for the maximum of eight years and through a combination of organic and inorganic growth, the network grew by over $2.5 billion in this period. His role included oversight and advice on global brand, strategy, investment, and M&A for the network; setting global standards in response to evolving regulation; driving incremental growth through greater collaboration as well as efficiencies and sharing best practice; and significant engagement across North America, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.