PwC to end ‘job for the boys’ leadership appointments
PwC Australia aims to end a “jobs for the boys” culture among its leaders and has headhunters searching for its first-ever independent board members before the release of a report into the governance-related failures that led to the firm’s tax leaks scandal.
Kevin Burrowes is the new chief executive for PwC Australia.
The moves will give chief executive Kevin Burrowes the ability to provide examples of how the firm is reforming its operations when the report by former Telstra chief executive Ziggy Switkowski is publicly released this month.
Dr Switkowski’s report, which was handed to PwC at the end of last month, has been tightly held by a select group of senior leaders.
However, sources within the firm say the report focuses on how governance and compliance structures at PwC are “immature” and need to be brought up to standard.
PwC has separately commissioned law firms King & Wood Mallesons and Linklaters/Allens to investigate the tax leaks matter, but has not committed to releasing those reports.
One option currently being considered by the firm is to release a detailed explanation of the history of the tax leaks matter based on the findings of the law firms.
The firm commissioned the reports in response to revelations about the extent of the tax leaks matter, which involved a former partner sharing confidential tax information with PwC personnel who then used it to help clients sidestep tax laws.
Ahead of receiving the final report, Mr Burrowes told a retired partners’ meeting on August 8 he intended to take up all of Dr Switkowski’s “helpful recommendations”.
“It’s clear Ziggy will make helpful recommendations about our firm, and we intend to accept them all,” he told retired partners during a webinar, according to
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