Can fintech thrive outside of London? Charlotte Crosswell talks growing the sector around the country March 2, 2023 Even as Charlotte Crosswell launched the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology in Leeds this week with a mandate to boost fintech across the UK, those in attendance were asking why it couldn’t have been in London. The Leeds event had big name backers in City minister Andrew Griffith and has full-throated support from across [...]
Why gender parity is still 70 years away despite two thirds of FTSE 350 company boards comprising of women February 28, 2023 The UK claims to be a world-leader for women’s representation on top company boards, with data revealing that 40.2 per cent of FTSE 350 board positions are now held by women. The findings were part of a report by the Government-backed FTSE Women Leaders Review, which is sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group and KPMG. Adopting [...]
China tells state-owned companies to cut ties with the Big Four February 22, 2023 China has told its state-owned companies to stop working with the Big Four auditors – EY, KPMG, PwC, and Deloitte – and asked them to use local accounting firms instead. China’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) has called on the country’s state-controlled firms to let their audit contracts with the Big Four expire, Bloomberg reported today. [...]
McKinsey to cut up to 2,000 staff in one of its biggest round of layoffs ever February 22, 2023 McKinsey is planning to cut up to 2,000 back-office staff as it seeks to control costs and retain its partner payouts. The plans could affect up to 2,000 of McKinsey’s 45,000 staff, in one of the consulting firm’s largest rounds of job cuts ever. McKinsey’s plans, first reported by Bloomberg, are set to see [...]
Jeremy Hunt faces calls for March budget giveaways after UK borrows £30bn less than forecast February 21, 2023 The UK government spent less than it reaped in from taxpayers last month helping to push yearly borrowing £30bn lower than projected by forecasters, officials figures out today reveal. The difference between what the government generated in revenue and spent hit a positive £5.4bn, meaning the UK’s public finances were in surplus last month, according [...]
KPMG’s Carillion settlement generates £7m profit for Aussie litigation funder February 20, 2023 An Australian litigation funder has more than doubled its money after giving Carillion’s liquidator millions to fight a £1.3bn lawsuit against KPMG. Litigation Capital Management (LCM) has generated more than £7m in profits after funding the claim brought by Carillion’s liquidator against the Big Four firm, the Aussie firm said today. LCM’s announcement comes [...]
Audit reform plans ‘ready to go’ but government delays now holding UK back, accountancy chief warns February 20, 2023 The UK government’s failure to overhaul the country’s audit sector risks seeing Britain lose its position as a world-leading investment hub, the head of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales has warned. ICAEW chief Michael Izza told City A.M. continued delays to the UK’s planned reshaping of the country’s audit sector could see foreign investors [...]
Mazars UK business posts ‘record’ growth as firm pushes to tackle Big Four’s dominance February 16, 2023 Mazars today said its UK audit business grew 37 per cent over the previous year, as the accounting firm seeks to take on the Big Four and capture a larger share of the market. Mazars’ UK business posted “record” growth, despite rising costs, after its revenues increased by more than a fifth (23 per [...]
Big Four: EY, Deloitte, KPMG, and PwC step on law firms’ toes increasing legal revenue to £1.25bn February 15, 2023 The Big Four accounting firms – EY, Deloitte, KPMG, and PwC – are capturing an ever-larger share of the global market for legal services. The accounting giants are rapidly expanding their legal businesses, in boosting their own sales and taking work away from traditional firms, the research from Said Business School shows. The world’s four [...]
Analysis: Audit watchdog faces catch-22 in hunt for new chief February 15, 2023 Britain’s audit watchdog is on the hunt for a new chief executive who can face down the Big Four accounting firms after Jon Thompson announced last week he would leave the post to lead the grossly delayed HS2 project. But in choosing a new boss, the newly-merged Department for Business and Trade has a difficult [...]