Accounting and consulting: most popular stories in the first half of 2020
Traffic data for the first half of the year shows readers of The Australian Financial Review were almost completely focused upon how the major consulting firms navigated the initial COVID-19 lockdown.
Consulting firms led the way in responding to the changed conditions brought about by the pandemic.
Long experienced with remote working, accountants and consultants were among the first movers in having staff and partners work from home.
The safety of everyone ensured, the firms then moved to cut costs in anticipation of an extended downturn as clients began to defer or cancel large projects.
Each firm has approached this grim task in a different fashion with three of the big four consulting firms making large cuts to staff numbers.
The quick moves have worked for the firms, with three of the four posting revenue growth for FY20. While profit was down, growth of any sort during this period is a remarkable outcome given the pandemic.
Top 5 stories for subscribers
- Deloitte to cut at least 700 roles across the firm
- PwC to cut 400 roles in consulting, financial advisory, support
- How the big consultants are cutting costs amid COVID-19
- PwC to cut staff hours and pay by up to 40pc
- Cuts to staff pay help EY maintain partner profit
Other stories of note (AKA Magnus' list)
- One in five EY staff do not want to return to the office
- The professional services firm paying bonuses to staff
- Grant Thornton promotes partners despite pandemic
- Accountants become the 'Centrelink' of business world
- Port Jackson Partners and Byron Pirola to join EY
Previous lists
- The most popular stories from 2019
- The most popular stories from 2018
- The most popular stories from 2017
- The most popular stories from the second-half of 2016
About the page
The accounting and consulting page appears in the Financial Review every Wednesday.
It aims to provide the latest agenda-setting news about the large professional services firms, disruptor firms and key independent firms. This includes how the firms operate, what it's like to work at the firms, the clients hiring the firms and the services clients are buying.
Stories are chosen based on a multitude of factors of which traffic is but one element.
I welcome your feedback about the accounting and consulting section via messaging on LinkedIn or directly via the contacts listed on my profile page.
Executive Advisor, Independent Technology Advisor for Accounting & Advisory Firms. No Commissions, No Vendor Bias — Just Strategies That Work.
5yGreat work Edmund Tadros & Team - thanks for inviting me to contribute in the 'Accountants become the 'Centrelink' of business world' article. Alan
Building digital resilience
5yThanks for sharing this info !