This Month
Boutique firms prove attractive in big four exodus
Management consultant Sin Yin Long has joined Rennie Advisory, as boutique firms capitalise on instability at the large operators.
- Maxim Shanahan
KPMG pay growth slows in tough market
Pay rises for this financial year were minimal, with graduate salaries increasing by an average of just 1.5 per cent.
- Maxim Shanahan
Consultants face decade-low growth slump
Annual growth in the sector is forecast to fall to its lowest level – apart from the short-lived pandemic slump – since 2015.
- Edmund Tadros
June
KPMG appoints ex-RAAF officer as part of halved partner intake
KPMG has announced a significantly reduced intake of new partners as it pivots away from generalist consulting.
- Maxim Shanahan
Tough jobs market for consultants wanting to jump ship to industry
Advisers seeking exit opportunities or new roles after job cuts are facing fierce competition for ‘transformation’ and ‘strategy’ roles in companies.
- Edmund Tadros
Consultants to lose $5.76b of UK government work
Public sector consultants are under attack in the UK, following a pullback on their use by the Australian government.
- Simon Foy
- Exclusive
- AI
EY looks to Microsoft as consultants seek AI sales edge
EY is giving all staff access to Microsoft’s new AI sales assistant in an effort to win tech-related advisory and software installation contracts.
- Tess Bennett
Economist Jeremy Thorpe goes boutique after PwC Australia
The long-time PwC partner said there had been a clear shift in client demand “away from the big four consulting firms”.
- Edmund Tadros
From union boss to KPMG chief: ‘Unlearning’ key to Paul Howes’ success
The senior KPMG partner is as surprised as anyone else that he will chalk up 10 years at the firm next month.
- Edmund Tadros
KPMG launches radical overhaul, cuts 200 senior jobs
KPMG Australia will overhaul its consulting business to focus on tech-related advisory and software installation as part of an $80 million cost-cutting exercise that will include cutting about 200 roles at the firm.
- Edmund Tadros
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Big four can’t be allowed to stay in ‘grey zone’ of PwC scandal
The Senate report makes it clear the big accounting firms have fallen through the regulatory gaps. That structural problem must eventually be addressed.
- James Thomson
- Exclusive
- AI
Meet KymTax: KPMG’s AI tool can do a day’s mundane tasks in an hour
The big four firm has built an AI research assistant for tax professionals to speed up how quickly they can provide clients with tax advice.
- Tess Bennett
Consultants costing NSW twice as much as public servants: report
The government report also found the big four consulting firms were “increasingly doing generalist work” for the NSW public sector.
- Edmund Tadros
You’re free to go, PwC UK says, if you tell anyone, follow this script
PwC UK has launched a round of “silent lay-offs”, with affected staff told they must not inform colleagues why they are leaving and asked to follow a “suggested wording” if they want to send goodbye messages.
- Simon Foy
New unit to replace outside consultants in NSW
NSW will follow the federal government in setting up an in-house consulting unit to reduce spending on the major firms.
- Maxim Shanahan
Consulting firms soften partner intakes despite rise in exits
The latest partner promotions and appointments at EY, Deloitte and PwC reflect the major downturn in advisory work.
- Maxim Shanahan and Edmund Tadros
This tiny government office is gunning for the big four
The nascent group says it can’t keep up with demand for its services, and will assist the Defence Department as it sets up its own consulting division.
- Maxim Shanahan
May
ChatPwC v KPMG KymChat: Consultants race is on after ‘world’s biggest’ AI deal
The US and UK arms of consulting giant PwC have become the biggest direct corporate client of OpenAI, announcing a deal to use and resell the AI firm’s tools.
- Paul Smith and Edmund Tadros
Apply payroll tax to big four partner profits, inquiry urges
A NSW upper house inquiry into consultants has called for a radical reshaping of the taxation and oversight of the major consulting firms.
- Maxim Shanahan and Edmund Tadros
Defence tries its hand at consulting as Labor keeps heat on big firms
The government will also conduct a second audit of public sector employment to track the progress on reducing its reliance on external advice.
- Maxim Shanahan
