Tag: KPMG v. PwC

PwC Poaches a KPMG Partner and Issues a Press Release, Part VI

Today in KPMG is the PwC Triple-A team news, partner Erik Hansen has joined the P. Dubs Houston office as a risk assurances partner leading the firm’s Internal Audit Practice in the Oil and Gas Industry Sectors. I suppose it goes without saying that Mr. Hansen is pretty adept in the energy field, as well as auditing:

Hansen has served companies in the oil and gas industry on issues related to internal audit outsourcing and co-sourcing solutions, Sarbanes-Oxley assistance services, as well as other risk and control-related services. He has also served as an instructor in several KPMG training programs designed to provide partners and managers with the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective in the marketplace.

Enjoy Houston, Erik! Just keep your wits about you at the happy hours down there.

[via PwC]
Earlier: More posts on KPMG v. PwC.

PwC Is Still Looking For (Other Big 4’s) Talent

We didn’t say poaching. But if we did say poaching, we’d also mention PwC is pretty damn good at it.

A non-PwC but Big 4 tipster shares an unsolicited email received on LinkedIn. Names have been redacted to protect the innocent (and guilty):

Significant Audit Opportunity with PwC in Chicago!
Dear ______,

Hello! I took some time to review your profile and felt that it would be mutually valuable for us to connect. I am a the manager of the talent acquisition team for our Assurance group at PwC, and we are currently experiencing substantial growth in this area across the US. In fact, our Chicago region ranked # 1 out of 6 markets with respect to growth in 2010.

Therefore, I’d appreciate the opportunity to set up some time with you to have a dialogue around industry and marketplace trends and PwC’s current expansion plans.

Even if you are not currently exploring outside opportunities, I would welcome the chance to network with you. Alternatively, if you know of anyone else who is open to considering new ventures, please feel free to pass on my details. With all the changes going on in the industry, especially at PwC, it’s always good to do a little information gathering.

Please feel free to contact me, or _____, Experienced Recruiting Associate – Assurance, at________ or at _______.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Is it just me or is “a little information gathering” a totally creepy proposition? And really?! “Significant” position? That’s the best they could do? I’m sorry but if I were a Big 4 grunt happy with my employer, it would take more than “significant” to get me to double cross them by abandoning them for the enemy.

Of course, this teaches those of you miserable in your current positions that it is important to have an updated LinkedIn presence that will draw in those anxious recruiters in like flies to Caleb’s armpits after a marathon yoga session.

Go get ’em, PwC!

PwC Wasn’t About to Let October Pass Without Announcing Their Latest Talent Acquisition From KPMG

If you’ve been paying attention, you know that PwC has made KPMG it’s own personal farm system for partners and directors. It seems that P. Dubs follows all the talent out there and then simply calls the men and women up when they’re ready for the big leagues. We’ve noted four press releases put out by PwC announcing appointments of partner/directors that were brought over from the House of Klynveld. And who knows how many other, non-PR worthy partners, have also joined Team Autumn. Trust us, it’s happening; we hear things.

ANYWAY, in today’s Daily Grind newsletter, I wondered if PwC would take the opportunity of All Hallow’s Eve to pull a trick on KPMG, announcing that yet another partner or director had recently joined up with P. Dubs. My wonderment was largely in jest but I guess I’ve misunderestimated the scamps in PwC’s communications department:

Eric Israel, who joins PwC as a managing director, is a former KPMG managing director and that firm’s US advisory practice leader on climate change and sustainability. He has more than 25 years of experience with KPMG where he began his career in the Netherlands as a Chartered Accountant. Later, Israel moved into sustainability consulting where he has focused his work for nearly 14 years. Israel has global experience in sustainable development concepts and application, finance and sustainability assurance, climate change and carbon consulting & verification, business research and development, as well as knowledge management and corporate governance. He also has participated in the work of organizations such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Consortium and the AICPA’s and CICA’s joint Sustainability Task Force.

Israel co-founded KPMG’s Global Sustainability Services practice and wrote KPMG’s first Sustainability Audit Manual. He received his BA in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Amsterdam, Netherlands. He will be based in PwC’s New York office.

In other words, Izzy is was KPMG’s Global Sustainability practice. He wrote the audit manual for crissakes! Of course since he’s just a co-founder, that hopefully means that his fellow co-founder is still around. At least until he/she gets their own press release.

PwC Gives KPMG a Break, Appoints Insider as New Head of U.S. Tax

I guess it was funny the first four times (and that doesn’t count the chumps that don’t get press releases) but for the extra special positions, P. Dubs must prefer to keep things in house.

Mark J. Mendola has been named as PwC’s U.S. Tax leader and a vice chairman of the firm. He will also serve as a member of the firm’s U.S. leadership team and the global Tax leadership team. Additionally, he will be responsible for the network of Tax practices across the Americas, including Canada, Mexico and South America.

For those keeping close tabs on this sort of thing, MJM joined PwC in ’86, no doubt inspired to join the tax practice thanks to the efforts of the Gipper & Co. He joined the partnership in ’98 with no indication that he strayed to the HoK. Word on the street is that KPMG is pretty bent out of shape over the competitive poaching, so PwC must be backing off. For now, anyway.

[via PwC]

Promotion Watch ’11: KPMG Admits 166 New Partners in the Americas

That’s right boys and girls, 166 new lucky Klynveldians will be taking a seat at the big kids table, only to be poached by PwC in the next 2-3 years. Despite the risk that many of these new partners will trade blue squares for autumnal Atari, John Veihmeyer and Henry Keizer were excited to welcome the newest members of the club:

“These new partners are role models for high performance – with a passion for quality, an unyielding commitment to integrity and outstanding service, and a dedication to helping clients cut through the complexity in this dynamic environment,” said John B. Veihmeyer, Chairman of KPMG’s Americas region and Chairman and CEO of KPMG LLP (U.S.).

“We are very proud of each of these new partners, and we look forward to their continued leadership. We’re especially grateful to the spouses, family, friends, coworkers, and mentors who have played a key role in their development and their career success,” Veihmeyer said.

Henry R. Keizer, Deputy Chairman of the Americas region and Deputy Chairman and COO, KPMG LLP (U.S.) said, “With their steadfast focus on technical excellence, professionalism, teaming and relationship building, these new partners have helped us make great strides in achieving our strategic priorities.

“Their ability to engage and motivate our people has also been critical to our efforts in fostering a high-performance culture – thereby driving the firm and our people to the next level,” Keizer said.

The KPMG press release doesn’t have a breakdown of the numbers but luckily we got our virtual hands on an email that has the breakdown. We won’t name names but it’s probably moot since someone at PwC Experienced Hire recruiting probably has them all on a hit list already. ANYWAY, here’s the breakdown by service line for the U.S. (74 new partners):

Advisory – 26
Audit – 27
Tax – 21

And by line of business:

Information, Communications and Entertainment – 12
Financial Services – 17
Healthcare and Pharm – 5
Industrial Markets – 19
Private Equity – 4
Mid Market – 3
Government/Public Sector – 1
Consumer Markets – 9
Other – 4

Congrats to all the new partners!

[via KPMG]

Is PwC the New KPMG?

From the mailbag:

Hi Caleb,

I am considering becoming an experienced hire at PwC, however I have heard some strange things and can’t seem to get a solid angle on them. I have heard that PwC (still) doesn’t let you expense lunches when traveling. I’ve also heard that PwC is still on Windows XP with Office 2003, Lotus Notes email and using Lenovo ThinkPads. Can you please help me confirm or deny these rumors and add some color around them? Also, are there other things at PwC that I should be wary of? Is PwC the new KPMG?

Thanks,

Concerned Potential Recruit


To the best my knowledge, Concerned, I’ll address these one at at time:

1. I have heard that PwC (still) doesn’t let you expense lunches when traveling. – True. PwC does not allow you to expense lunches when traveling, although it’s my understanding that a “business lunch” is reimbursable.

2. I’ve also heard that PwC is still on Windows XP with Office 2003 – Partially true. P. Dubs is on XP but is running Office 2007.

3. Lotus Notes email – True. There were some layoffs of LN developers way back in the fall of ’09 but it’s our understanding that they still run it.

4. Lenovo ThinkPads – True. You were maybe expecting iPads? Those are for bonuses only.

5. Are there other things at PwC that I should be wary of? – I’d start here.

6. Is PwC the new KPMG? – Um, no. Unless you’re consider all the KPMG partners they’ve picked up makes it the “new KPMG.”

(UPDATE, VIDEO) What Is the ‘Next Level’ Coming to KPMG?

From the mailbag:

Relatively ominous link on our internal homepage saying “get ready” “the next level is coming” as of 6.6.11.


We’ve confirmed this “next level” with several people and also that there is a video that Klynveldians are watching. We’d really like to see some screen shots of this, just to get some context. In the meantime, we encourage you to speculate about this “next level” and why you have to “get ready.” I’ll kick things off:

A) Tim Flynn’s retirement party is going to be epic.

B) Omaha Steaks announces a special “KPMG Package” that will drive the other, non-meaty firms crazy.

C) KPMG seeks revenge on PwC with their own competitive poaching efforts by offering the head of the mailroom at 300 Madison a 10% raise and a Phil Mickelson autographed hat.

D) Your ideas.

UPDATE:
Supposedly, this is the transcript to the video (still no screen shots, it’s called “Print Screen” people!). Our tipster wrote, “Interesting video that gives very little hint to what the ‘Next Level’ is other than lots of talk of a ‘high-performance’ culture. Maybe it has something to do with changing performance review structure a la PwC. The video definitely gives an ominous feeling as if the KPMGers in it are running out of time and people aren’t adapting to the changing market fast enough for their liking. All in all pretty strange vibes.”

Welcome to the Next Level – Video Transcript

[VARIOUS VOICES DELIVERING SHORT PHRASES]:

The market’s changed…

In order to compete in today’s world we have to keep up with change…

It’s a mindset… It’s a way of behaving…

It’s about a continuous journey…

Our ambition is greater than where we are today…

The attitude is contagious…

We’re not satisfied…

It’s really about taking it to that next level.

Keep us updated.

UPDATE 2:
Another tipster hears that it has something to do with the-next-level.com but “[I] don’t really know what they plan to do with it.” Poking around the site, it appears that it would be related to “Developing the Next Wave of Senior Leaders” but I’ve checked out for the week and don’t have the will to dig further right now.

UPDATE 3:
Well, the video finally made it’s way into my inbox and I’ve posted it on the next page for your viewing pleasure (I realize Klynveldians have seen it already).

After watching it a number of times I still can’t make heads or tails about what the “next level” will be but hopefully it’s does just to this movie trailer-esque video.

PwC Snags Another KPMG Partner

Is PwC offering these partners a lifetime supply of Girl Scout Cookies or something?

Ellen Rotenberg will join PwC to head up the Banking, Capital Markets and Insurance group as a tax partner in New York. She was most recently the National Tax Leader for Banking and Finance at KPMG. Prior to that position she did a stint in KPMG’s Washington National Tax Practice.

If you’re keeping score at home, this is the fourth KPMG partner/principal to join PwC since February (that we know about). Kinda makes you wonder if Tim Flynn is really retiring. [PwC]