Davies has appointed Amber Wilkinson to the role of group chief financial officer (CFO), replacing Tony Debiase, who is stepping down after 12 years in the role.

Wilkinson has joined the professional services and technology company from global law firm, DLA Piper, where she has served as CFO since 2021.

Prior to this, she spent over a decade at AXA in senior leadership roles, including CFO at AXA Health and Bluefin Insurance respectively, as head of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) at AXA UK and Ireland.

Wilkinson, who is a chartered accountant, trained at PwC in London, spending time with the firm’s audit and corporate finance practices.

As part of her new role, she will report directly to Davies’ group chief executive officer, Dan Saulter, and will also join the firm’s group executive committee.

The appointment comes on the back of Davies announcing a £1.5bn refinance of its senior debt facilities, reducing its annual interest bill and extending maturities to 2031, as well as securing a new credit line to support its M&A, technology and AI ambitions.

Wilkinson said: “I am excited to be joining Davies as group CFO at what is a pivotal time, as the business seeks to further internationalise, and invest in technology and client service. Davies has delivered impressive growth over the past decade, while also holding on to a great culture, supported by its employee ownership programmes. I look forward to working with Saulter and the wider leadership team as we deliver for our clients and stakeholders.”

Saulter added: “I am thrilled that we have been able to attract someone of Wilkinson’s calibre and ambition to Davies, and I am delighted to welcome her as our new group CFO. Wilkinson’s experience in international business, professional services, insurance, and M&A is a great fit for Davies as we seek to execute an ambitious future strategy. I am also very grateful to Debiase for his long and distinguished service at Davies. We all wish him the best for the future.”

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