KPMG joins rivals on new hiring spree
BIG FOUR accounting firm KPMG has joined the ranks of its accountancy rivals as it plans to recruit 8,000 new staff across Europe within the next three years.
The hiring spree, as reported in the Financial Times, will see the firm’s British arm grow by 3,000 new staff over the period.
Once the recruitment drive is done, KPMG will have bolstered its headcount in the UK from 11,000 to 14,000 and its European offices, excluding France and Italy, will increase to 38,000 employees.
The move by KPMG follows similar announcements by Big Four rivals Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and Ernst & Young (E&Y).
Deloitte revealed plans earlier this year to add 55,000 new staff across its global office network in the next five years, while hiring plans for E&Y are expected later today.
John Griffith-Jones, joint partner of KPMG’s European business, said that although the past few years have been difficult, the audit giant sees a lot of opportunities opening up again. Accounting firms were hit hard during the recession, with the largest firms recently receiving criticism for their auditing practices.