BDO appoints new deals partner in London. Real estate specialist Shalom DeSouza joins firm from Deloitte to lead transaction services Quick Poll How often do you read Accountancy Today? One click - no sign-up All data is anonymised. Polling helps Accountancy Group better understand the Accountancy Today audience and tailor its editorial. No spam Unsubscribe anytime Want unlimited access? View Plans BDO has appointed real estate deals specialist Shalom DeSouza as a partner in its London transaction services team. DeSouza joins the deals practice from Deloitte, where he was most recently a partner. He has 20 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions. The new partner has led cross-border transactions for private equity firms, strategic corporate buyers, sovereign wealth funds, and high net worth individuals. At the firm, DeSouza will focus on real estate private equity and operating transactions across asset classes including hospitality, healthcare, and datacentres. The deals team at BDO advised on 257 deals in 2025 with a combined value of £10.9bn. The firm was named the top financial due diligence provider in the UK and Ireland by Mergermarket in 2025 by deal volume. DeSouza said: "I'm excited by the opportunity to add an additional market dimension to BDO's excellent real estate practice. I look forward to building upon the collegiate culture at BDO and using my experience to bring out the best in our people to support our clients when they need us most." Partner and head of transaction services at BDO Derek Neil added: "It's already shaping up to be a fantastic year for our team, and we're pleased to welcome Shalom to join us on this journey. His experience and credentials clearly show the impact we know he is set to make in his new role, both for the benefit of our clients and our people too." Published: 1h ago

Shalom DeSouza joins BDO as Transaction Services partner. BDO, the accounting and business advisory firm, has announced the appointment of real estate sector deals specialist, Shalom DeSouza, as a partner in the firm's Transaction Services team in London. Shalom, who joins BDO's Deals practice from Deloitte, has 20 years of M&A transaction experience and was most recently a partner leading the firm's Real Estate transaction services business and has deep transaction experience across all real estate asset classes and transaction sizes. In his career to date, Shalom has led on cross border transactions on behalf of private equity, strategic corporate buyers, sovereign wealth funds and high net worth individuals. At BDO, he will continue his focus on Real Estate private equity clients and operating real estate transactions across various asset classes, including hospitality and leisure, healthcare and datacentres. Shalom DeSouza said: "I'm excited by the opportunity to add an additional market dimension to BDO's excellent real estate practice. I look forward to building upon the collegiate culture at BDO and using my experience to bring out the best in our people to support our clients when they need us most." BDO's Deals team advised on 257 deals in 2025 with a combined value of £10.9 billion, demonstrating the resilience of its client base as well as the firm's sector and regional strengths. BDO has also been named the No 1 Financial Due Diligence provider UK and Ireland in the Mergermarket UK Accountant League tables 2025 by deal volume for the fifth consecutive year. Derek Neil, partner and head of Transaction Services at BDO, said: "It's already shaping up to be a fantastic year for our team, and we're pleased to welcome Shalom to join us on this journey. His experience and credentials clearly show the impact we know he is set to make in his new role, both for the benefit of our clients and our people too." Ends. Note to editors BDO UK operates in 17 offices across the UK, employing 8,000 people. It has UK revenues of £1bn. It provides Audit, Tax, Deals, and Consulting, Risk & Outsourcing services predominantly to the entrepreneurial, ambitious and growing mid-sized businesses that are driving growth in the UK economy. BDO calls this segment of the market the UK's economic engine. BDO LLP is the UK member firm of the BDO international network. BDO's global network The BDO global network provides business advisory services in 169 countries and territories, with 95,000 people working out of 870 offices worldwide. It has revenues of US$11bn. Contact Lianne Rimmer PR Manager at BDO UK [email protected] Press office [email protected] www.bdo.co.uk

BDO and Enactus expand partnership to boost social mobility. Next Gen Leaders programme for secondary school students to be rolled out across UK social mobility 'cold spots' in the next three years. BDO has expanded its partnership with Enactus UK & Ireland to support the delivery of its Next Gen Leaders programme, helping secondary school students in areas of low social mobility build key skills and confidence. Next Gen Leaders is a project-based learning programme that gives young people the chance to work in teams on real social and environmental challenges affecting their own communities. Delivered in schools, the programme develops problem solving, teamwork and communication skills, while helping students see how their ideas and actions can create positive change. Enactus has been delivering the Next Gen Leaders programme in the North of England since 2017. Through this expanded partnership, Enactus and BDO aim to scale the project across all regions in the UK over the next three years, reaching students in areas where access to opportunity is often limited. BDO has been working with Enactus across UK universities for four years, supporting over 1,800 [LC1.1]students throughout their degrees through mentoring, skills workshops and employability programmes. The accountancy and business advisory firm offers employees up to ten paid days per year to take part in citizenship and community projects. Louise Sayers, Head of People, Culture and Purpose at BDO, says: "Social mobility is about more than careers - it's about confidence, aspiration and helping young people see what's possible for them. At the heart of Next Gen Leaders is a belief that every young person has the potential to lead. It gives students the space and confidence to explore issues that matter to them, develop their ideas and realise the value of their own voice. "We're proud to support the roll out of such an important initiative to target the UK's social mobility 'cold spots' and help deliver a programme that puts young people at the centre and helps them build skills and self-belief that will stay with them, whatever path they choose." In an event last month, 110 students and ten BDO volunteers came together in Pudsey, Leeds, as part of the Enactus Next Gen Leaders programme. The event saw almost three-quarters of students engage with a BDO employee, with 92% reporting an increase in confidence on completion. Andrew Bezzina, an audit trainee at BDO in Leeds, volunteered at the Pudsey event. He added: "I wanted to give something back to young people in my area and help them believe they can achieve things they might not have thought possible. I wasn't sure what I could offer at first, but being there, listening and encouraging them made a real difference. Sometimes your time is the most valuable thing you can give." Alongside its work with Enactus, BDO is also a founding member of Access Accountancy and offers a dedicated work experience programme, Explore BDO, aimed at students from a lower socio-economic background. For the first time this year, Explore BDO will run across three locations - Leeds, Birmingham and London - and applications are now open for students in years 12 and 13 to apply. Note to editors. BDO UK operates in 17 offices across the UK, employing 8,000 people. It has UK revenues of £1bn. It provides Audit, Tax, Deals, and Consulting, Risk & Outsourcing services predominantly to the entrepreneurial, ambitious and growing mid-sized businesses that are driving growth in the UK economy. BDO calls this segment of the market the UK's economic engine. BDO LLP is the UK member firm of the BDO international network. BDO's global network The BDO global network provides business advisory services in 169 countries and territories, with 95,000 people working out of 870 offices worldwide. It has revenues of US$11bn. Contact. Nikki Barnsley-Walker, Corporate Affairs Assistant Manager, BDO Press office