The firm (formerly WHK Gosling Chapman) has appointed Gay Rankin to run the accountancy firm when founding Principal, Rowan Chapman, steps down from his leadership role in September.

Gay joins the firm from ANZ Banking Group where she was Head of the Funding and Liquidity Programme.

Rowan is one of two Partners who founded Gosling Chapman in 1984, and after 25 years with the firm has made the decision to step aside from day-to-day management, and focus on his personal business interests and directorships.

The firm undertook a nationwide executive search to find a new Chief Executive, and Gay was the stand out candidate.

"The key qualities we saw in Gay were her leadership skills, and her in-depth understanding of small and medium sized businesses," said Rowan Chapman.

"Her role is to lead the firm so that our people and our services offer the most relevant business solutions required by our clients.

"Within our people resides an incredible depth of business expertise, experience and know how.

"Gay's role is to ensure that we utilise that to our clients' advantage, and to shape the firm so it is equipped to assist our clients succeed as we move out of the deepest and longest recession of the past six decades.

"The economy of tomorrow will be different from the past, and businesses that succeed in the new environment will be those that have adjusted quickly, have geared their operations appropriately and remain nimble and flexible.

"Gay's role is to ensure the firm is as well prepared to succeed in the new environment as we advocate clients need to be.

"This will see us increasingly involved in working with our clients in an advisory capacity, looking to assist them improve profitability and efficiency."

Gay commenced with us on August 3 and will progressively take over Rowan's responsibilities. Rowan will be staying on to support Gay until September 30.