EY Germany vows to improve working conditions in wake of Wirecard scandal April 28, 2022 EY Germany has vowed to cut staff workloads and improve company working conditions, in response to its role in the multi-billion-euro Wirecard scandal. The German arm of the Big Four accountancy firm said it plans to reduce workplace stress and the overburdening of its workers, by limiting overtime and hiring more people. The pledge comes [...]
PwC acquires London consultancy Pollen8 in bid to enhance innovation offering April 20, 2022 Big Four accountancy firm PwC has acquired tech-focused consultancy Pollen8. In a statement, the major auditor said its acquisition of the London-based consultancy will enhance its “technology innovation capability” and give it access to Pollen8’s “specialist innovation management platform”. Founded in 2016, Pollen8 describes itself as a “tech-led” innovation consultancy which uses “data-driven” analysis to [...]
EY to double size of consulting team by hiring 5,100 consultants over the next four years April 5, 2022 Big Four accountancy firm EY is set to double the size of its UK consulting team, by hiring 5,100 new consultants over the next four years. The accountancy giant said it plans to double the size of 5,100 strong consulting team, with a view to having more than 10,200 consultants on its books by 2026. [...]
Big Four cut ties to China’s debt-ridden property giants as developers delay results March 30, 2022 The Big Four auditors have begun cutting their links to China’s heavily indebted property developers, amid mounting concerns over the sector’s debt crisis. Accountancy giants Deloitte and PwC have both pulled out of auditing at a slew of Chinese property developers over the past three months. The exits come as PwC is reportedly set to [...]
Randox delays release of audited results amid concerns over Covid procurement process March 30, 2022 Covid test maker Randox has delayed release of its audited results amid mounting scrutiny over the government’s decision to award it contracts worth almost £777m. The delay to publication comes after the UK’s public spending watchdog said the government failed to document the procurement process that led to Randox being awarded 22 government contracts for [...]
PwC fined £670,000 for allowing exam cheating scandal involving 1,200 employees February 28, 2022 Canadian and US regulators have hit PwC’s Canadian business with more than £670,000 in fines, for failing to prevent a widespread cheating scandal involving more than 1,200 of its employees. The US and Canadian watchdogs slammed PwC for allowing more than 1,200 employees to share answers while taking mandatory accounting exams. Canada’s audit watchdog [...]
Irish accountancy watchdogs raises concerns over Deloitte and EY audits February 28, 2022 Ireland’s audit watchdog has said flagged issues with audits carried out by Big Four accountancy firms Deloitte and EY, after carrying out its annual review of auditors. The Irish Auditing & Accountancy Supervisory Authority (IAASA) said audits completed by Deloitte and EY required improvements, after sampling six sample audits carried out by the firms. By [...]
PwC buys up Australia’s biggest tax advisor Greenwoods February 28, 2022 PwC has acquired Australia’s largest tax advisory firm, Greenwoods, as part of a deal which will see 15 Greenwoods partners and 50 Greenwoods staff join the Big Four accountancy firm. PwC said it had acquired specialist tax advisory firm Greenwoods & Herbert Smith Freehills, an affiliate of Silver Circle law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. The [...]
UK government to set out plans for audit watchdog overhaul imminently after years of delays February 14, 2022 UK government ministers will set out their plans to reform regulation of the UK’s auditing industry within the coming weeks, after calls for an overhaul first emerged in 2018 in response to the collapse of UK construction contractor Carillion. The proposals are currently being circulated and are set to be signed off imminently, according to [...]
UK government appoints four new directors to FRC in shakeup of audit regulator February 8, 2022 The UK government has put four new directors on the board of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), amid a shakeup of the UK’s audit regulator. The appointments come after former Rio Tinto chairman Sir Jan du Plessis – the government’s pick to head the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) – said the watchdog is in a [...]