Accounting giant PwC Australia has appointed Perth partner Amy Lomas as its new chief economist.
Accounting giant PwC Australia has appointed Perth partner Amy Lomas as its new chief economist.
Ms Lomas, a former Pilbara Ports Authority deputy chair and PwC infrastructure partner and director, will now spearhead PwC’s Australian economic analysis.
She brings more than 20 years’ experience across the public and private sectors, largely across energy and resources portfolios.
Ms Lomas said her priority would be to break down and make sense of significant economic disruptions impacting businesses across the nation.
“I want to focus on the ‘so what’ for our people and clients by cutting through the noise and simplifying the complex world of economics,” she said.
“Drawing from my experience, particularly in the energy and resources sector, I am eager to analyse the impacts of the rapidly changing economic landscape in Australia and explain how that impacts business.
“With significant disruptors, such as AI and new climate reporting commitments, the Australia business sector is going through a period of rapid transformation and reinvention.”
Ms Lomas has held various high-level positions, including executive director of state development policy at the former WA Department of State Development.
It comes as the market awaits PwC annual results, following a tough year which saw the firm cut its national headcount by about 5 per cent.
The firm announced 329 roles would be made redundant back in March, while simultaneously touting that 37 partners would accelerate their retirement.
It added to the fallout from last year's tax leaks scandal, which forced PwC to sell its government consulting business for $1, and was the second round of redundancies after they slashed 350 roles last November, mostly from its Adelaide hub.
In addition, about 1,200 PwC staff exited the firm when Scyne Advisory was created to take over its public sector consulting work.
PwC Australia boss Kevin Burrows also drew the ire of Senator Deborah O'Neill recently, when she criticised him for not disclosing $1.2 million in payments from the consultancy firm's parent company.
