Accountancy group EY has appointed Chris Eastman as a corporate finance director in its South West office as part of its expansion plans across the region.
Chris, pictured, started his career in 2002 at rival PwC in Bristol, where he was a member of its audit assurance and advisory team, before moving to Deloitte four years later, becoming a corporate finance assistant director, also in its Bristol office. 
He has extensive experience of deals spanning corporate disposals, management buy-outs (MBOs), raising finance, private equity, Fast Track M&A (merger and acquisition) and strategic planning, having advised on a large number of transactions over the past 10 years in the South West and nationally.
Chris Eastman said: “EY’s Bristol office has a strong reputation for corporate finance advice – a recent accolade being named the most active advisor in Wales, achieving the highest value of transactions of £2.4bn in over a decade.
“I’m looking forward to continuing this momentum by working with the region’s diverse network of entrepreneurs and businesses and supporting them with their growth ambitions.
“The corporate finance team has a number of interesting live projects and a strong pipeline. I am keen to continue to be very active in the local market, and support [senior regional partner] Richard Jones and [Executive Director] Tony Trussell in securing new work, completing transactions and delivering excellent advice to our clients.”
Richard Jones said: “This appointment is linked to EY’s commitment to growing our mid-market business. We have big ambitions for our regional business and Chris has an important role to play in helping us achieve these goals and build a better working world for our clients.”
Tony Trussell added: “Chris’s experience and expertise, as well as his standing in the local corporate finance community and business relationships, make him an ideal fit for our strategic objectives in the region.”
