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 [...]
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 [...]
Merciless verdict: Accounting watchdog FRC slams BDO and Mazars for ‘unacceptable’ audits July 20, 2022 Auditors BDO and Mazars have been called out for the “unacceptable” quality of their work by the accounting watchdog. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said there has been “some improvement” across the auditing sector amid heavy scrutiny following failings linked to the major collapses of firms such as Carillion. FRC chief executive Sir John Thompson [...]
UK accounting watchdog calls on top auditors to put in place measures to stop cheating on exams July 18, 2022 The UK’s accounting watchdog has called on the country’s major audit firms to put measures in place to prevent employees from cheating on exams. Following a series of high-profile cheating scandals in Canada, Australia and the US, the UK’s Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has told British auditors to set out their plans to prevent similar [...]
UK hiring boom slows as labour shortages and economic uncertainty scupper recruitment efforts July 8, 2022 The UK’s hiring boom is showing signs of coming to an end, according to new research from KPMG, which show the number new hires grew at its slowest rate in 16-months due to a lack of candidates and wider economic uncertainty. The fast-paced growth in the number of new hires has dropped off significantly [...]
Wirecard’s finance chief admits forging documents after facing pressure from KPMG July 4, 2022 Wirecard’s former head of accounting has admitted forging documents, after coming under pressure to provide evidence of transactions during a special audit by KPMG. Wirecard’s ex-chief financial officer, Stephan von Erffa, told prosecutors he falsified the documents, after coming under pressure from the auditor to provide evidence of a €50m payment, according to sources speaking [...]
Consulting and finance firms hire more black candidates when using anonymous ‘skills-based’ tests in the hiring process June 26, 2022 City employers are more likely to hire black candidates if they rely on anonymised, “skills-based” assessments in the hiring process, instead of more traditional interview methods, new research shows. Finance and consulting firms hired 79 per cent more black candidates when they relied on skill-based assessments, over more traditional methods such as cover letters, group [...]
KPMG opens virtual office in the metaverse for staff in US and Canada June 23, 2022 KPMG has set up an office in the “metaverse” for staff in the US and Canada to facilitate cross-border collaboration. The Big Four firm yesterday opened its first ever “metaverse collaboration hub,” with a view to letting staff work in an “immersive” virtual world. KPMG said its new virtual office will facilitate collaboration between its [...]
KPMG strikes deal with Cambridge University to study workplace wellbeing June 21, 2022 KPMG has struck a deal with Cambridge University to let researchers come into the Big Four firm to study the impacts of its mental wellbeing initiatives. The Big Four accountancy firm’s partnership will see Cambridge University researchers allowed into the company to study workplace wellbeing – with a view to developing strategies to boost productivity, [...]
KPMG strikes deal with Alteryx to boost data analytics capabilities June 16, 2022 KPMG entered into a “strategic alliance” with California tech firm Alteryx, as part of the accountancy firm’s push to boost its data analytics capabilities. The Big Four firms’ deal with the analytics automation firm will see KPMG push forward with plans to automate its own systems, while also giving it the means to help clients [...]