Inside the race to lead EY after bungled break-up plan

afr.com:

EY boss Carmine Di Sibio’s right-hand man has emerged as a frontrunner to take over as global head of the big four firm in a leadership race triggered by the collapse of its attempted break-up this year.

British executive Andy Baldwin, one of the architects of the aborted plan to spin off EY’s consulting operations, is running to be the first non-US executive to become global chair and CEO, according to a number of people inside or close to the firm.

Leaving: EY global chief executive Carmine Di Sibio. Bloomberg

Baldwin had argued, along with Di Sibio, that EY needed to radically rethink its structure, but some of the people said his involvement in the failed talks over exactly how to divide the business has raised doubts about whether he could unite EY’s warring factions.

Another leading contender is Jad Shimaly, the head of EY’s business in Canada, insiders say, and at least four other executives have put their names forward or have considered doing so.

“Andy is the favourite by a large margin, but things can get weird in a hurry,” said one person familiar with the candidates. “Like a UK Conservative Party leadership contest.”

Nominations to lead the 390,000-person business will close on August 13, according to an internal email this week that was described to the Financial Times.

A nominations committee will take “soundings” from hundreds of the most senior partners, and thousands more will be surveyed on the qualities they want in a leader and on EY’s strategy, the email said.

The final candidate will be picked not by popular vote, however, but by the global executive committee chaired by Di Sibio and then ratified by a group of prominent partners. The firm has previously signalled it expects the decision to be