Global accounting and advisory firm Mazars has made three senior-level appointments in Singapore.
The most notable appointment sees Narissa Chen, a ten-year veteran of the firm, installed as the new Head of Audit and Assurance. She took over the baton on 1 September and succeeded Rick Chan, Managing Partner of Mazars in Singapore and Head of Audit and Assurance for the entire Asia Pacific region.
Chen becomes the first women to fill the role in Singapore. “At Mazars, we are committed to creating an environment which supports and empowers female talent, particularly at the partner level. I look forward to Narissa’s leadership as our first female head of audit and assurance,” said Chan.
Having joined Mazars in 2012 as a senior manager before rising to partner in 2016, Chen became Deputy Head of Audit and Assurance in 2020. Her track record includes leading audit work for companies listed on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
“Her depth of experience and commitment to nurturing high performing audit teams makes her the right person to lead our audit services in the years ahead,” said Chan.
Commenting on her new challenge, Chen remarked: “Mazars is a melting pot of talented and open individuals with unique perspectives and qualities, and through our collective leadership approach, I’m looking forward to empowering our people. I am passionate about developing future audit leaders to take Mazars to the next level of growth.”
Meanwhile, Mazars has promoted Yung Hui Lok to partner. He has been tasked with spearheading audit innovation, with a focus on technology and tooling.
“As a partner, my priority will be to continue reinforcing the firm’s digital capabilities with cutting-edge innovations. This is an opportune time for Mazars to grow our audit services in line with technological advances, in order to meet the evolving needs of our clients and create sustainable value,” he said.
Lok joined Mazars in 2017 and has since managed audit engagements of varying industries, sizes and risk profiles, encompassing public interest entities and privately owned businesses. He has also played a frontrunning role in the development and roll-out of several innovative audit tools in Singapore.
Joining Mazars’ senior team externally is Gavyn Ng, who has been appointed a director within the financial advisory practice. Ng previously served a Big Four firm in its corporate finance team and served as head of the M&A advisory practice at a boutique advisory firm.
Ng brings with him a range of experiences from more than 100 M&A assignments across the region including Southeast Asia and Greater China, covering a wide spectrum of industries including food and beverage, information technology, gaming, manufacturing, trading, plantations, hospitality, real estate, and logistics.
He specialises in M&A work such as valuations, transaction, and corporate finance advisory services covering sell-buy side advisory work, due diligences, business and intangibles valuations, investment appraisals, and sales and purchase agreement reviews.
“I am delighted for this opportunity to join Mazars. With continuing regional interest for complex dealmaking, I look forward to further developing the valuations practice at Mazars.”
In Singapore, Mazars has more than 310 professionals. Globally, the firm’s headcount is above 44,000 professionals.