Board backs former Australia chief, council vote still pending
KPMG has chosen its global chief operating officer and former Australia head, Gary Wingrove, as its next global chief executive, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The report said the decision has not yet been ratified by KPMG’s global council.
Reuters said it could not immediately verify the report. KPMG did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
According to the Financial Times, KPMG’s board met in late February to consider candidates and recommended Wingrove over Jon Holt, the head of KPMG UK. The report said the board’s preferred candidate must still receive formal approval from the firm’s global council.
Wingrove led KPMG Australia and now serves as global COO
Wingrove is currently KPMG’s global chief operating officer. He previously served as chief executive of KPMG Australia from 2013 to 2021, according to the details cited in the report.
The Financial Times said Wingrove has been involved in major elements of KPMG’s recent strategy, including closer integration across the network and multibillion-dollar investments in technology and artificial intelligence. The report cited a person familiar with the business in describing Wingrove’s role in what it called transformational changes.
Leadership change comes as Thomas term ends in September
The selection would set up a transition as current chief executive Bill Thomas approaches the end of his term in September. Thomas was first elected chairman of the firm in 2017, according to the information provided.
Global footprint spans 138 markets and 276,000 staff
Headquartered in London, KPMG provides audit, tax, and advisory services across 138 countries and territories and employs more than 276,000 partners and staff. It is one of the Big Four accounting firms alongside PwC, Deloitte, and EY.
The Financial Times report did not specify a timeline for the global council’s ratification vote. If approved, Wingrove would take over leadership of one of the world’s largest professional services networks at a time when accounting firms are investing heavily in technology and AI while navigating evolving client demand across audit and advisory work.