The chief executive of one of Britain’s biggest consulting firms has quit suddenly less than three years after taking the job.

Sky News understands that Ken Toombs, who took up the post in 2020, left in the last few days.

PA Consulting has a broad spectrum of public and private sector clients, and undertakes extensive work on government contracts.

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The reasons for Mr Toombs’ departure were not immediately clear, although it came in the wake of Jacobs Group, the US-listed company which owns a controlling stake in PA Consulting, unveiling plans to split itself in two.

Jacobs bought its majority stake in the consulting firm from Carlyle, the private equity firm, in 2021.

Founded in 1943, the firm employs about 4,000 people.

In a statement, PA Consulting said: “The Board of PA Consulting and Ken Toombs have agreed the time is right for Ken to step aside as the firm enters its next phase of growth and development.

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“Since becoming CEO in October 2020, Ken has contributed to the successful growth of PA, and we thank him for his hard work and wish him well for the future.

“The Board will appoint a successor.

“In the meantime, the Board has asked Kully Janjuah, PA’s company secretary, to take on interim leadership.”

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