KPMG to merge dozens of markets in major overhaul March 10, 2025 Big Four audit giant KPMG will merge dozens of its national partnerships in an attempt to accelerate growth and minimise audit scandals. The move to integrate its panoply of businesses, each of which is owned by the respective partners in each jurisdiction, represents one of the most significant shake-ups at a major professional services network [...]
UK’s audit chief ‘open to learning’ from Elon Musk’s DOGE in US February 5, 2025 The head of the government’s spending watchdog has said he is open to learning from Elon Musk’s US “department of government efficiency”, or DOGE. Gareth Davies, the UK’s chief auditor, gave his annual speech to Parliament on Tuesday, warning that money was being “wasted” and public services “compromised” as he stressed that there was a [...]
BDO becomes £1bn giant as partner profit recovers November 25, 2024 Revenue at BDO, the accountancy and business advisory giant, has surpassed £1bn for the first time in its 100-year history, it has been confirmed. The London-headquartered firm, which has offices across the country, said its “continuedprogramme of investment” helped revenue rise by 8.6 per cent to £1.02bn in the year to 5 July, 2024. The [...]
Hays: Recruitment giant’s shareholders stage major revolt against PwC November 20, 2024 Shareholders in recruitment giant Hays have staged a major protest over the reappointment of PwC as its auditor. Just over 20 per cent voted against the reappointment of the accountancy giant to the role it has served since 2016 at Hays’ annual general meeting. At the same meeting, 19.8 per cent of shareholders voted against [...]
How the accounting watchdog is looking to unleash the City November 11, 2024 As Richard Moriarty gripped the sides of a podium and spoke freely from a sheet of bullet points at the London Stock Exchange in September, a warmth was stirring among certain City executives in the room. The tie-less career regulator, boss of the audit watchdog, the Financial Reporting Council, laid out his plans to shake [...]
Audit watchdog plans to ditch ‘environment’ focus in growth push November 11, 2024 The audit watchdog is planning to remove references to the “environment” and “society” from a code setting standards for City investors in a bid to simplify reporting processes and get behind the government’s push for growth, CityAM can reveal. In a consultation document today, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) will reveal plans to make a number [...]
Calls for audit reform grow after ISG found to owe £1bn November 3, 2024 Construction giant ISG collapsed with debts over a billion pounds, newly published filings have shown, prompting fresh calls for audit reform. ISG, which specialised in delivering government contracts projects like London’s velodrome, went bust in September after attempts to secure a rescue deal failed. The demise of ISG was the largest and most significant collapse [...]
Smaller firms eye chunk of Big Four’s audit work with uptick in clients September 30, 2024 Non-Big Four firms have experienced an uptick on audit work across FTSE 250 and all main market clients, as competition with the audit giants continues
FRC: Audit regulator’s review flags troubling performance by BDO and Mazars July 30, 2024 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has published its Annual Review of Audit Quality, highlighting troubling performance from audit firms BDO and Mazars
Grant Thornton moots deal with private equity firms July 7, 2024 Grant Thornton UK has been testing the waters over a potential deal with a number of private equity groups that would see them buy into the business.