City business still booming
BIG four accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers has maintained its lead as the firm with the highest number of FTSE clients in the third quarter ended 4 November, according to the latest research from business data firm Hemscott.
The Hemscott Corporate Advisers Rankings Guide, which is published quarterly, also revealed yesterday that public relations agency Brunswick had gained clients in four out of the last five quarters and that Canaccord Genuity had jumped six places in the overall City financial adviser rankings.
Ernst & Young, the lowest-ranking of the Big Four in terms of its number of FTSE 100 clients, saw the addition of a new client to its roster in the last quarter from 17 to 18 put it in the best position it has been in for three years in the FTSE 100 rankings.
Overall, PricewaterhouseCoopers kept its number one ranking with 39 FTSE 100 clients, KPMG stayed in second place with 24 clients, and Deloitte stayed in third after losing a client and ending the quarter with 20.
Meanwhile, public relations firm Brunswick continues to lead the Hemscott table for the largest number of FTSE 100 companies it advises having won clients in four or the last five quarters and with almost a third (29) of FTSE 100 firms on its client roster.
Among the top law firms Slaughter and May remains in first place for FTSE 100 clients extending its lead by one client during the quarter and raising its tally to 28. Third-placed Freshfields secured one new client in the quarter.
In the overall rankings among financial advisers, Canaccord Genuity produced the largest client win of the quarter adding 12 new clients, taking its client list to 48. These client wins meant the broker jumped six places in the Hemscott rankings from 18th to 12th, one place behind FinnCap, whose own four client wins over the quarter brings its tally to 55.