BDO and PKF confirm New Year merger

Wondering about the International Associations

Will the BDO and PKF international associations merge or will the PKF association have to find a new UK member firm? The press release seems clearly focused on the UK firms. MAYBE similar mergers will follow in other territories but that would be unusual after a UK initiated merger.

When Moores Rowland merged with BDO earlier this century(!) I believe that the International Association MRI was able to buy back the name as it was no longer being used by the merged BDO firm. The 'new' MRI Moores Rowland later merged with Mazars.

Many years ago when Binder Hamlyn merged with Andersons the international association (BDO) found a new UK firm - Stoy Hayward. They then left their old association (Horwarth) which was then joined by Clark Whitewhill. Levy Gee then joined CW's old association CKL and Levy Gee's old association (AGN?) also moved on.

Within a few years it seemed clear that moving up to become the UK member firm of a larger international association was good news. In each case each of the UK firms were reported to be pleased as they then received more inward referrals than under their previous arrangements.

Mark

It's brought a tear to my eye

Well, not a tear, but it always brings back a few memories when these well-known names merge. I know it's the way of the accountancy world, but it seems a shame when names from the old days disappear. I trained at the London office of Moores Rowland in the 1980s; it was a great place to work, with some big beasts in the partnership like Nigel Eastaway of Yellow and Orange book fame. 25 years later and it's effectively disappeared, at least in the UK. I'm sure the rot set in just after I left. Either I was an unusually influential audit clerk and my absence created a gap they simply couldn't fill or the [***]-ups I'd made that they uncovered after I'd gone were so massive that they created a run on client confidence with the inevitable fire sale resulting. Either way, I like to think I'm remembered.

Accounting firm trees

Are there any accounting firm trees available - you know, like family trees - either online or in book form. Or a book on history of mergers.

I started my training contract with Whinney Murray just before their big mergers.

These we have known

Arthur Andersen, Ernst & Whinney, Arthur Young, Deloitte Haskins & Sells, Thornton Baker, Touche Ross, Coopers & Lybrand, Bentley Jennison, Kidsons - all firms I've either worked for or been interviewed by and all names that have disappeared from the roster.

Funny how the present rarely seems to be a time of great change but, looking back, it can seem like you lived through a period of seismic shifts.  Wish I was still young enough not to have learned that ...

Those were the days!

McClelland Moores anyone?

Although I never worked for them I once had an interview with Turquands Barton Mayhew !

PKF trainees?

I started my training there in the last millenium (just!) - how things change!  Anyone else?

KPMG PKF

I worked briefly for PKF in the late 80s/early 90s but got made redundant during the recession of the early 90s. Good memories though!

My very first job in 1975 however was at a 2 partner firm in North Nottinghamshire. It seems ridiculous now but one of our clients was a major £120m+ PLC (although PLCs didn't exist then - all just Ltd) and we did a joint audit with Peat Marwick Mitchell - now known as KPMG.

PKF - A view from the outside

Viewing this from the perspective of a former PKF customer, this must be good news: the loss of the PKF brand, if this is the result, is overdue. To have accountants that need to be reminded every year for 10 years that the short partnership return figures were required before personal tax returns could be completed was quite unbelievable. Misspelled email addresses and unanswered emails were not unusual. Fortunately, there also exist accountancy practices that are helpful, efficient and informative. BDO beware!

PKF BDO merger

This big beast is still around having joined BDO, from Moores Rowland via Chiltern, and I am sure that a merger with PKF will make a great firm greater.