Accounting is a popular industry because there is always some sort of financial service that requires an accountant’s knowledge and expertise. The biggest accounting firms in the world handle many different aspects of accounting, from auditing to taxation services to management and risk assessment. There are hundreds of thousands of accountants and tax offices in the world, but only five are as successful and professional enough to be the most successful.
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
It’s more commonly referred to as simply Deloitte, and it’s the largest accounting firm in the world, and the leader of the big 4. The firm is one of the oldest in the world, as well. William Deloitte founded the company in 1845, and despite being involved in numerous mergers, rebranding strategies and reorganization strategies in the past century or so, it’s maintained its name and its dignity as the most successful, biggest accounting firm in the world. Deloitte employs 203,000 professionals from 150 countries.
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
This company is one of the largest in the world. They employ more than 184,000 accountants and support staff across the world in addition to having offices in more than 159 countries. It was created in 1998 when two big companies merged to create one even bigger company. Coopers & Lybrand and Price Waterhouse decided to bring together their two companies in one of the most successful mergers of all time.
Ernst & Young
It was 1989 when Ernst & Whinney and Arthur Young merged to create this company. While there are only offices in around 140 countries worldwide, the accounting firm employs more than 175,000 people across the world. They offer career training and personal growth to their employees, making them one of the most successful and personally interested employers in the world.
Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG)
This is a global firm that specializes in advisory and auditing services as well as special industry services. There are around 155,000 accountants employed by KPMG. They service more than 151 countries across the world, and have done so since 1987 when the company was founded Klynveld Main Goerdeler Peat Marwick International when the two companies merged together.
BDO International
It’s not quite in the big 4 as far as accounting firms go, but it’s the 5th largest accounting firm in the world. This company has a more modest 55,000 employees. The offices can be found in more than 144 countries around the world. Much like the big 4 accounting firms, though, BDO International does provide the same type of accounting services, just on a slightly smaller scale.
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