His election was confirmed at ICAEW Manchester’s AGM, which took place on 20 June 2023 at the Manchester offices of the accountancy firm Azets. His term as Chair will run for a year, until June 2024.
Mr Rigby, who is an Audit Partner and Regional Managing Partner at UK Top 10 firm Azets, is a well-known figure on the city's business and professional scene, with almost 30 years' experience working in accountancy.
The AGM also saw ICAEW Manchester adopt a resolution to become a network within the institutional structure of the wider ICAEW. This will in effect replace the Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants (MSCA), which operated under the name "ICAEW Manchester", and was supported by the national Institute, but was a separate entity with its own structures and governance.
Mr Rigby had served on the executive committee of MSCA/ICAEW Manchester since February this year, when he also became its Deputy President. As Chair of ICAEW Manchester in its newly constituted form, he will build on the work of Rod Sellers OBE and Michael Colin, who had served respectively as President and Chair of its predecessor organisation since May 2022.
Mr Rigby said, "It is a real honour to become Chair of ICAEW Manchester, and I look forward to further deepening our connections with members, the wider business community, academia and Greater Manchester society at large.
"I would like to thank both Rod and Michael for the work they have done over the past year to cement our position as a leading voice for our profession in and around the city. I wish them both all the best and, while they might be hoping for a well-deserved rest, I have to warn them that I suspect I and my fellow council members will find ourselves calling on their unrivalled experience and connections with the wider Greater Manchester community over the months ahead!"
ICAEW Manchester organises local business events and networking, and represents its more than 6,000 Greater Manchester members' views on economic and social issues to local government, other professional bodies and the wider business and academic community. The new network will take over these functions from MSCA.
Mr Rigby said, "The move to become an ICAEW network represents a significant change, constitutionally, as we move on from being a standalone society with a heritage of more than 150 years. However, this is an exciting phase which aligns us with the structures adopted by many of the other local networks across the UK and will give us access to greater resources and support provided by the ICAEW nationally.
"Our objectives remain unchanged – we are dedicated to serving our local community as the needs of our members, and of business, continue to evolve. My fellow committee members and I are looking forward to working closely with ICAEW's North West regional director Justin Kyriakou and the rest of the team to make the most of the benefits that our new status will provide.
"ICAEW Manchester will support the delivery of ICAEW's strategic themes and will aim to provide a programme of activities throughout the year, based on current issues and the needs of local Chartered Accountants, reflecting the 'life journey' of members. These activities will have local regional relevance and significance to members and stakeholders across Greater Manchester."
Notes to editors
ICAEW Manchester represents more than 6,000 Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) members in the Greater Manchester area. Its origins lie in the Manchester Society of Chartered Accountants, one of the five founding district societies of the ICAEW, which was established more than 150 years ago.
Members of ICAEW Manchester work in accountancy practice, industry, business, charities and the public sector. Nationally the ICAEW has more than 186,000 members and, as an improvement regulator, supervises and monitors more than 12,000 firms.
For further information contact:
Clare Parisi, Regional executive, ICAEW
clare.parisi@icaew.com
Stuart Anderson, Director, Alpha Public Relations
sanderson@alphapr.co.uk
0161 791 0811