Latest
KPMG increases working capital borrowings by almost $300m
KPMG increased its borrowings by almost $300 million over the past two financial years but booked revenue growth of more than $500 million.
- Maxim Shanahan
Scyne finalises appointments, KPMG partner heads to Star
PwC spin-off Scyne Advisory has appointed a permanent managing partner and will finalise its CEO in the second half of this year.
- Maxim Shanahan
McKinsey seeks to pump up partner morale with rap and rock in Denmark
McKinsey sought to rally partners at a global partner meeting, but has been hit by news of a criminal investigation and a lawsuit from a former senior partner in the past week.
- Ambereen Choudhury and Amy Bainbridge
PwC set to become smallest big four firm
PwC has lost more than 200 partners in less than a year, with the once-ascendant firm expected to fall behind KPMG on partnership size and revenue.
- Maxim Shanahan
- Exclusive
- Harassment
Legal watchdog accused of quashing sexual assault claim
A lawyer who alleges she was sexually assaulted by a high-profile Sydney solicitor has accused the industry watchdog of blocking a full investigation.
- Max Mason
Data Trackers
Financial Review consulting salary guide 2022-23
The full guide to how much you can earn at Accenture, Deloitte, KPMG and PwC.
- Edmund Tadros
PwC seeks absolution but can it really change?
The publication of two documents and a video apology for the tax leaks scandal this week was meant to be a circuit breaker. But it won’t be that easy.
- Edmund Tadros
Professional Moves
Scyne finalises appointments, KPMG partner heads to Star
PwC spin-off Scyne Advisory has appointed a permanent managing partner and will finalise its CEO in the second half of this year.
- Maxim Shanahan
Energy focus as Ashurst, Allens, Freehills appoint new partners
Energy and environment lawyers have led promotions at top-tier firms, as the legal industry targets the energy transition as the next big source of billings.
- Maxim Shanahan
Scyne settles restraint case, as PwC tax partner jumps to KPMG
Connie Heaney will be free to continue at Downer EDI under the settlement, while a senior PwC tax partner has jumped ship to KPMG.
- Updated
- Maxim Shanahan
This Month
Tax Office warns law firms over consulting push
ATO second commissioner Jeremy Hirschhorn said he was worried law firms would repeat the mistakes of the big four professional services firms with their push into consulting.
- Maxim Shanahan
McKinsey faces US criminal probe over opioids work: sources
McKinsey & Co is under criminal investigation in the United States over allegations it played a key role in fuelling the opioid epidemic.
- Mike Spector, Nate Raymond and Chris Prentice
Energy focus as Ashurst, Allens, Freehills appoint new partners
Energy and environment lawyers have led promotions at top-tier firms, as the legal industry targets the energy transition as the next big source of billings.
- Maxim Shanahan
Scyne settles restraint case, as PwC tax partner jumps to KPMG
Connie Heaney will be free to continue at Downer EDI under the settlement, while a senior PwC tax partner has jumped ship to KPMG.
- Updated
- Maxim Shanahan
Big four consultants ‘commoditised’, says fast-growing boutique firm
Rennie Advisory has appointed former senior EY partner Tim Eddy as its new chairman, as small firms capitalise on client dissatisfaction with the big four.
- Maxim Shanahan
It turns out APM wasn’t so ‘disappointed’ in MDP’s bid after all
It has been a difficult period for the employment and NDIS services group, and brokers expect things to remain that way. But not enough to scare some off.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
BHP taps Deloitte for underpayments fix
The nation’s biggest company has brought in Deloitte to help track down former employees affected by a $434 million accounting glitch.
- Peter Ker
An accountant’s journey into Warren Buffett’s shadow
Brett Kelly’s cringe efforts to be a self-styled corporate thought-leader are plumbing new depths.
- Updated
- Mark Di Stefano
New legal AI tools target partners, dealmakers
Two new artificial intelligence tools have entered the increasingly crowded legal market, as in-house counsel push firms to pass on the cost savings being made though AI.
- Maxim Shanahan
Banking royal commission star Rowena Orr joins the bench
Rowena Orr, who came to prominence during the Hayne royal commission, has been appointed to the Victorian Court of Appeal.
- Maxim Shanahan
EY cuts 148 jobs as consulting downturn deepens
The firm says the redundancies are needed to protect its financial position, and has told the affected staff they have a week to find a new internal role or leave.
- Maxim Shanahan
- Opinion
- Big four consultants
Consulting clients look elsewhere as trust in big four plummets
Smaller firms have an opportunity to build trust with clients and take work off the previously dominant big four, whose reputation is in tatters.
- George Beaton
Lehrmann, BRS defeats will make public figures think twice before suing
A series of significant defamation defeats, coupled with recent law reform, will see the number of high-profile cases continue to fall, academics and practitioners say.
- Updated
- Maxim Shanahan
PwC monetised secret government tax information: O'Neill
Senator Deborah O'Neill raised revelations about PwC divulging confidential tax information in Parliament on May 9, 2023.
- Updated
Death of Baker McKenzie associate rocks law firm
NSW police attended Baker McKenzie’s Sydney office after the death by suicide of an associate, which has left colleagues devastated.
- Maxim Shanahan and Mark Di Stefano
Weekend vote, no notice: HWLE invalidly dismissed partner, court finds
Equity partner Greg Lewis was given no notice of a weekend vote to expel him from the HWL Ebsworth partnership, in breach of the firm’s partnership agreement.
- Maxim Shanahan
MinterEllison practice head poached by rival
Climate lawyer Sarah Barker has joined advisory outfit Pollination Group, as the climate and sustainability advice sector continues to grow.
- Maxim Shanahan
- Exclusive
- Big four consultants
EY to cut 100-plus staff amid advisory downturn
The big four firm will cut more than 100 roles next week, or about 1 per cent of its 10,000-strong workforce, due to the downturn in the consulting market.
- Edmund Tadros
Mercury Capital acquires stakes in KKR’s Findex Group, Fyfe
The deal, which closed on Friday, will see Mercury take a 60 per cent interest in Fyfe which has been around since the 1980s.
- Updated
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
Next Capital talks up ‘critical infra’ angle at $30m-a-year Eptech
The sell-side pitch is expected to pitch Eptec as a strategically important asset in the Asia-Pacific region, given its role in providing maintenance services to key naval infrastructure
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
