Deloitte Global has announced its new incoming board of director’s chair. Anna Marks is subject to final confirmation and will be taking the reins of the world’s largest professional services firm effective June 1, 2023. A long-standing audit partner in the firm’s U.K. wing, she will be succeeding Sharon Thorne, who completed her four year-term on May 31, 2023.
While the Chief Executive Officer of a company is the top senior executive over management, the board’s chair leads its board of directors. The CEO acts as the top decision maker for the company, overseeing the daily operations and logistics. Deloitte’s Global Chair position focuses on evolving the firm’s governance model in support of its global strategic goals, positioning its board to stay ahead of complicated challenges including digitalization, the continued fallout from the pandemic, and the world’s economic downturn. That’s crucial guidance for a firm with over 400,000 employees providing consulting services to roughly 90% of the Fortune Global 500 companies.
In a statement, Marks said, “as Global Chair, my vision is to lead a high-performing, purpose-led board, building on the exceptional work of the past four years to govern in a collaborative, anticipatory, and impactful way and driving even greater cohesiveness throughout our global organization. I am thrilled and deeply honored to be taking up this role and look forward to working with the Global Board and Global Executive, embodying Deloitte’s purpose and values in all that we do.”
Marks currently serves as a member of the Deloitte Global Board, sits on the Deloitte North & South Europe Board, and is a Deloitte U.K. Vice Chair. She has nearly 20 years of experience as a practicing audit partner and has cultivated substantial experience across audit and due diligence, U.K. and U.S. regulatory reporting, and corporate development activities.
Prior to being nominated for chair, she held a variety of senior leadership and executive roles, including on the Deloitte U.K. Audit and Assurance Executive, the Deloitte North & South Europe Audit and Assurance Executive, and Chair of the Deloitte U.K.-Swiss Partnership Council. Marks is also sponsoring chair of the Deloitte U.K. Ethnicity Council. She is a passionate advocate for diversity and is focused on helping the company build a thriving, inclusive culture.
Before becoming an accountant, Marks earned a degree in psychology and assisted families with children who had learning disabilities.