KPMG UK has appointed James Osborn, a long-time insider with extensive IT consulting experience, as its new chief digital officer.

The chief digital officer post at KPMG UK combines the role of a CIO and CTO. The job comes with responsibility for both the firm’s internal IT initiatives and the technology consulting work it does to support clients.

James Osborn is taking over the chief digital officer post after a more than decade-long career at KPMG UK. He joined the Big Four consultancy from Deloitte, one of its top competitors, where he worked for five years through 2011.

Before Deloitte, Osborn worked at another KPMG UK competitor: he spent five years at IT services giant Accenture. 

During the stretch of his career that he spent at KPMG UK, Osborn led several major technology projects for clients in the financial services sector. His main specialty is carrying out large-scale digital transformation projects for banks and insurance companies.

At one point, Osborn led the development of a commercial banking platform for a U.K. financial institution. In another chapter of his career, he worked on a multi-year technology upgrade for an insurer.

That kind of experience is a good fit for the chief digital officer role at KPMG UK. In that role, Osborn will help lead the firm’s technology consulting practice, which is one of the most lucrative and fastest growing parts of its business.

Last year, the firm brought in fee income of £2,723 billion across its business units. That represents a year-over-year increase of 12%.

KPMG UK’s advisory unit, which includes its technology consulting practice, grew nearly twice as fast in the same period. Its sales increased 22% in 2022 thanks partially to strong client uptake of the technology advisory services Osborn will now help manage.

“James has a huge depth of experience, especially in transformation leadership and digital programmes, having worked on many large projects for clients over the years,” remarked KPMG UK chief operating and financial officer Chris Hearld. “He is well placed to take forward our firm’s digital strategy here in the UK.”

Osborn is succeeding Lisa Heneghan, who left the chief digital officer role at KPMG UK last year to take up the same job at parent firm KPMG International. Osborn holds bachelor’s degrees in law, computer science and philosophy.

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