Profits grow at recruitment consultant Robert Walters in a ‘solid’ first quarter April 15, 2019 Recruiter Robert Walters started the year solidly, growing gross profit by 11 per cent in the first quarter, it said this morning. The global consultant relied on strong growth in Asia to help push up overall figures, increasing gross profit, or net fee income, 12 per cent to £36.4m. In Japan, mainland China, the Philippines, [...]
Lawyers at Kirkland & Ellis worry boozy grad event could see firm landed with frat boy rep April 15, 2019 Lawyers at US law firm Kirkland & Ellis say a recent boozy graduate recruitment event that saw two lawyers go home with students could land the firm with a frat boy reputation. The firm’s head of compliance was looking into the incident last week, insiders say, ahead of reports that emerged on Friday. Legal gossip [...]
Major companies could be exempt from joint audit rules in competition watchdog report April 14, 2019 The UK’s competition watchdog reportedly could exclude some major companies from a new rule that would require many business to appoint joint auditors. Sky News reported that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is set to publish its long awaited report into the audit sector this week. According to the report, the CMA has been [...]
With the AI genie firmly out of the bottle, what impact could this have on accountants? April 10, 2019 This month, the British Film Institute celebrates the late Stanley Kubrick with a retrospective of his work. One of Kubrick’s most celebrated films, 2001: A Space Odyssey, was ground-breaking in its depiction of space – and it’s extraordinary to think that all the special effects created for it were achieved entirely without CGI, over 50 [...]
Warner Bros files copyright complaint against Trump’s Dark Knight Rises re-election tweet April 10, 2019 Warner Brothers is taking legal action against US President Donald Trump after he posted a video on Twitter that used music from The Dark Knight Rises. Read more: Mueller report to be released 'within a week' Trump yesterday posted the two-minute promotional video, seemingly as part of his 2020 re-election campaign, accompanied by the caption “MAKE [...]
You’ve been served: A look at the growing trend for divorce loans April 10, 2019 Divorce law in England and Wales is set for an overhaul. New rules announced yesterday will prevent one partner refusing a divorce when the other partner wants one. It’s hoped that the reform will speed up “no-fault” divorces, allowing couples to split with less acrimony, and ending what justice secretary David Gauke described as the [...]
Reforming audit will not be easy, but the latest report might be a place to start April 9, 2019 Sir Winston Churchill’s 1942 speech about the second battle of El Alamein contained one of his most famous quotes. It was not, he said, the end – nor even the beginning of the end – but it was perhaps the end of the beginning. One could be forgiven for harbouring similar feelings about the long [...]
Debate: Could financial services firms be better off basing themselves outside of London? April 9, 2019 Could financial services firms be better off basing themselves outside of the capital? Yes – Andy Mielczarek is chief executive at Chetwood Financial. Being based outside of London has such a raft of incentives that it seems like a no-brainer to set up outside of the capital. The overwhelming difference is operating costs. As we’re [...]
KPMG examining audit spin-off in wake of damning report from MPs April 8, 2019 Big Four accounting firm KPMG is reportedly planning an overhaul of its UK business in the wake of political pressure and a wave of scandals. KPMG could split its UK audit practice from its wider UK business, The Times reported. Read more: MPs call for full breakup of audit’s Big Four in wake of scandals [...]
Catalyst sets its eyes on further expansion after £30m merger April 8, 2019 London-based management consultant Catalyst is set to take a step across the pond, in a £30m deal which will give it access to the North American market. The firm said this morning it will merge with Sionic Advisors, with offices in New York and Toronto plus eight other cities in Europe and Asia. Read more: [...]