PwC global digital assets chief leaves to launch ‘crypto asset manager’ August 4, 2022 The head of PwC’s crypto business has left his position at the Big Four accountancy firm to launch his own “crypto asset management firm” with a view to drawing institutional investors into cryptocurrencies. The new fund, Nine Blocks Capital Management, is set to use a $75m initial investment from Hong Kong fund Nine Masts, to [...]
Auditors should stop ‘complaining’ about fines and improve the quality of their work, FRC chief says August 3, 2022 The head of the UK’s accounting watchdog has said Britain’s major auditors should stop “complaining” about fines and start improving the quality of their work instead. In an interview with the Financial Times, Financial Reporting Council (FRC) chief executive Sir Jon Thompson said “the solution” to auditors’ problems with fines is “entirely” in their own [...]
KPMG’s UAE business holds meeting with clients to restore confidence in firm August 2, 2022 The chief executive of KPMG’s business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has held a series of face-to-face meetings with key clients, in an effort to restore confidence in the accounting firm’s management, following reports a coup within the Emirati firm. Nader Haffer, chief executive of KPMG Lower Gulf, hosted the client meetings after partners [...]
Insolvencies surge to highest rates since financial crash as voluntary bankruptcies hit record levels August 2, 2022 The UK government’s Insolvency Service today said it recorded a higher number of insolvencies over the past three months than at any other point in more than a decade, after the numbers of companies declaring voluntary bankruptcies hit their highest levels since records began. The past three months saw a total of 5,629 English and [...]
EY’s split could have ‘distinct benefits,’ FRC chief says August 2, 2022 EY’s plans to split its business would have “distinct benefits,” the head of the UK’s accounting watchdog has said. The Big Four accounting firm’s plans to separate its advisory arm from its consulting division could let EY “grow further” by removing “significant conflicts of interest,” Financial Reporting Council (FRC) chief executive Sir Jon Thompson told [...]
UK’s financial watchdog fines three Carillion executives over misleading statements July 28, 2022 The UK’s financial watchdog today fined three former Carillion executives for “recklessly” publishing misleading statements prior to the construction firm’s collapse in 2018. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it would have also fined the company itself a sum of £37.8m if it were not for the firm’s 2018 bankruptcy. The FCA’s sanctions saw Carillion’s [...]
High profile scandals saw UK’s audit watchdog hand out record £46.5m in fines last year July 28, 2022 The UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) issued a record £46.5m in fines over the past year, after the audit watchdog handed out a series of huge fines to Britain’s top accounting firms in the wake of a series of high-profile accounting scandals. The value of fines issued by the UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) [...]
Record £14m fine for KPMG over Carillion and Regenersis audits with partner Peter Meehan banned from ICAEW July 25, 2022 The UK’s accounting watchdog has fined KPMG £14.4m and told it to pay £3.95m in costs for providing false and misleading information during its audits of Carillion and Regenersis. The UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) also fined four of KPMG’s former auditors, banned them from the accounting sector’s professional membership body, and severely reprimanded another [...]
PwC ups pay for newly-qualified lawyers to £90,000 a year July 21, 2022 Big Four accounting firm PwC has upped pay for newly qualified (NQ) lawyers working in its fast-expanding UK legal business to heights of £90,000 a year. The salary hikes will see PwC match the salaries offered by top ranking law firms including London law firm Mischon de Reya, and put it ahead of major firms [...]
KPMG to rerun vote for head of UAE firm after partners raise governance concerns July 21, 2022 The head of KPMG’s business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has said the firm will rerun the election for his position, and bring in an external law firm to oversee the process, after partners attempted a coup aimed at ousting him from the firm. The election rerun comes after two senior partners at KPMG [...]