Watchdog gives UHY Hacker Young a slap on the wrist for shoddy audit May 13, 2021 The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has given what it described as a “severe reprimand” to UHY Hacker Young for its audit of a Malaysia-based rubber manufacturer. The FRC declared UHY Hacker Young’s 2016 audit of Inch Kenneth Kajang Rubber (IKKR) was unsatisfactory, and as a result told the accountancy firm to give staff involved in [...]
Directors to face bans for finding loopholes to avoid Covid loan repayments May 12, 2021 The Insolvency Service will be given new, beefed up powers to crack down on those looking to avoid repaying their pandemic loans. The Insolvency Service will be able to investigate and sanction company directors trying to dissolve their business to avoid repaying creditors, the Financial Times first reported. The government is reportedly keen to clamp [...]
Linklaters elects first female senior partner in 183-year history May 12, 2021 Linklaters has elected Aedamar Comiskey as its new senior partner, the first woman to serve in the role since the law firm was established in London in 1838. Comiskey will begin her five-year term on 1 July 2021, when she will succeed current senior partner Charlie Jacobs. Comiskey said: she was “hugely proud” to have [...]
Creating a new Corporate Auditor profession May 12, 2021 | City Talk ICAS has issued its Corporate Auditor report, setting out how Sir Donald Brydon’s recommendation to establish a Corporate Auditor profession could be implemented in practice. ICAS notes with interest the intention of BEIS, as proposed in its consultation paper ‘Restoring trust in audit and corporate governance’ (March 2021), to take forward the recommendation by Sir [...]
Begbies Traynor makes fourth acquisition this year May 10, 2021 Begbies Traynor has bought Midlands-based finance broker MAF Property, marking its fourth acquisition of the year as the group continues to focus on growth. The London-listed professional services firm will pay a maximum of £11.75m for MAF Property, with an initial cash payment of £3m, followed by the potential for an additional £8.75m subject to [...]
Companies in conflict: 400 per cent increase in legal threats and complaints May 8, 2021 The number of legal threats and complaints made against UK businesses has more than doubled over the past two years and increased four-fold since 2016, with businesses more likely than ever to face the risk of legal action. In the past five years, more than half (56 per cent) of all businesses have faced an [...]
Ministers to start searching for new audit watchdog chair May 7, 2021 The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will shortly kick off the search for the new chair of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC). BEIS will advertise for the role in the coming weeks, Sky News first reported. The FRC’s current interim chair Keith Skeoch has reportedly had his contract extended in recent weeks [...]
KPMG UK puts a woman back in charge of its audit division May 7, 2021 Catherine Burnet has been made KPMG UK’s new head of audit, taking over from Jon Holt, who recently became chief executive at the Big Four firm. Burnet’s career with KPMG spans more than 25 years and has seen her as regional chair for Scotland, Edinburgh office senior partner and a lead partner on a number [...]
KPMG staff to leave early in the summer as firm embraces hybrid working May 5, 2021 Staff at KPMG will be able to leave early one day a week during the summertime, as the Big Four firm moves to hybrid working post-pandemic. The Big Four firm has finalised its plans for flexible working in a post-pandemic world. KPMG staff will spend on average just two days a week in the office [...]
Three-quarters of new FRC panel members being ex-Big Four causes interest concerns May 5, 2021 The majority of individuals recently recruited to the FRC’s advisory panel have at some point worked for a Big Four firm, raising concerns about their objectivity when it comes to making recommendations that are in the public interest. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) recently announced 19 new appointments to its advisory panel, a body established [...]