Ernst &Young revenues rise despite crisis
ERNST & YOUNG (E&Y), one of the Big Four accountancy firms, said it left its rivals in the dust in the 2008-9 year in terms of UK revenue growth.
The smallest of the Big Four said UK revenues rose to £1.38bn – a 7.9 per cent gain on the £1.28bn revenues seen in the previous year. This compares to a two per cent fall for Deloitte and one per cent of growth for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the UK over the same period.
E&Y UK and Ireland managing partner Scott Halliday thanked the recent integration of the company’s UK arm into a new Europe, Middle East, India and Africa division for the strong performance.
All but one of E&Y’s UKunits grew their revenues over the year with the advisory arm, which does actuarial and performance improvement work, putting in a 16.3 per cent rise to £342m. Much of the division’s revenue growth came as recession-battered firms have lined up to use its performance services.
Worldwide, E&Y said revenues in the 2008-9 year fell 6.8 per cent to $21bn (£13.1bn), but currency shifts were behind much of this. On a local-currency basis, revenues fell by just 0.2 per cent, E&Yadded.
As the firm reported its results yesterday police raided its Hong Kong offices. The raid came as part of an investigation linked to the collapse of local electronics firm Akai nearly a decade ago, E&Y said yesterday. The partnership said it “lent police every assistance” during the raid.