The Queen was serenaded by the staff choir at KPMG on Monday as she paid a virtual visit to the company to mark their 150th anniversary.
Her Majesty, 94, heard the personal stories of four employees who joined the video call from locations across the UK.
As part of the celebrations, the Big Four firm’s choir performed a special remotely-recorded version of We Wish You a Merry Christmas for Her Majesty, who joined the call from Windsor Castle, where she is isolating with her husband Prince Philip, 99.
The Queen was serenaded by the staff choir at KPMG on Monday as she paid a virtual visit to the company to mark their 150th anniversary. Her Majesty, 94, heard the personal stories of four employees who joined the video call from locations across the UK.
The Queen was welcomed to KPMG by Bill Michael, the firm’s UK Chair and Senior Partner, who shared the history of the firm’s support for British business over the last 150 years.
The royal was then introduced to four colleagues from London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh to hear about how they are shaping the future of the firm.
In London, The Queen spoke to John McCalla-Leacy, Partner, who was recently elected as KPMG UK’s first black Board member and has spearheaded the firm’s work to improve inclusion and diversity.
John told Her Majesty about the firm’s commitment to diversity initiatives and their continued efforts to further inclusion in the accountancy profession.
The royal was then introduced to four colleagues from London, Liverpool, Glasgow and Edinburgh to hear about how they are shaping the future of the firm. Pictured top row from left, Cheryl Valentine, John McCalla-Leacy, Her Majesty The Queen. Bottom row, from left: David McIntosh, Bill Micheal, and Jennifer Lee
As a young athlete, John benefited from support provided by The Prince’s Trust and went on to become an international white-water canoe slalom competitor. Her Majesty and John spoke about his experiences with The Prince’s Trust and how he credits the charity with getting him to where he is today.
John McCalla-Leacy: ‘Ma’am, I’d like to ask that you please pass on my sincere gratitude to HRH The Prince of Wales for The Prince’s Trust.
‘Receiving the support that I did and when I did changed my life and I will never forget it, nor will I cease in my efforts to work with my fellow partners and others to use my position of influence to support and encourage others.’
Her Majesty: ‘I’ll indeed pass it on to my son, who is very proud of the idea of The Prince’s Trust, which I think has helped a lot of people.’
In Liverpool, The Queen heard from Jennifer Lee – KPMG’s youngest Office Senior Partner – about the firm’s support for women in leadership roles.
Jennifer told The Queen about Ethel Watts, the first woman to qualify as an accountant by examination to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in 1924.
Ethel was hired by KPMG’s founder, Sir William Barclay Peat, and went on to establish her own accountancy firm Ethel Watts & Co, which she led for almost 40 years. Today, over half of KPMG’s UK Board members are women and 27.3% are from a BAME background.
In Edinburgh, The Queen spoke to Cheryl Valentine, who joined KPMG as part of their Forces in the Firm military leavers programme.
Cheryl spoke to The Queen about how the skills and experience she acquired in the military prepared her for supporting the firm’s response to the pandemic this year.
In Glasgow, Her Majesty met David McIntosh, who joined KPMG as an apprentice in 2017.
David shared his story of being supported by the Social Mobility Foundation through an Open University course, before joining KPMG’s apprenticeship scheme. Her Majesty also heard about KPMG’s support for their network of 900 apprentices across the UK.
At the end of the virtual visit, Her Majesty watched a special performance of We Wish You A Merry Christmas by the KPMG staff choir, which was pre-recorded to share with The Queen.
The choir, which has been running since 2017 in conjunction with City Music School, has been meeting and practising together online since March.
Her Majesty previously visited KPMG’s offices at Puddle Dock in 1976, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, and opened the firm’s new Canada Square headquarters in 2010.