Bean counters limit rises
Partnership appointments at accounting firms are traditionally less controversial than those at their legal counterparts, with this round of announcements no exception.
In the main, the new Perth partners announced in the lead-up to the new financial year were energy and resources sector specialists.
Deloitte's Perth managing partner, Keith Jones, said the movement of partners and senior directors between accounting firms was limited.
"Only once or twice in the past six years have we recruited a senior director (with the intention of making them partner) from another firm," Mr Jones said, adding that even then the person was usually tested for about three years before being considered for partnership.
"It is not a common exercise, and only occurs when the circumstances warrant it; if the person is talented enough to be a partner and for what ever reason that is not recognised within their own practice."
Deloitte has promoted two of its directors to partner; Angelo Karelis for consulting, and Coert Du Plessis for forensics.
KPMG's national managing partner of people, James Allt-Graham, said the hiring climate for top talent had remained competitive in the wake of the global financial crisis.
"The Perth market, like Brisbane, has continued to be very buoyant, which along with its smaller size makes it more difficult to find talent in," Mr Allt-Graham said.
PwC's Perth managing partner, John O'Connor, said there had not been any slowdown in hiring partners in the hotspots of Perth, Brisbane and Canberra, and there was little difficultly recruiting talent to WA.
The firm has arranged the transfer to Perth of Nick Brasington, PwC partner and territory assurance leader for central and eastern Europe based in Moscow, and Garrick Robinson, a Melbourne-based transfer pricing partner. It has also made two internal partner promotions; Paul Hennessy, who has been with the firm for 10 years, for advisory transactions, and Rob Bentley for corporate tax. Both will specialise in the energy and mining sectors.
KPMG's only Perth appointment, Matthew Popham, will focus on resources as a corporate tax partner.
Ernst & Young has promoted Mathew Chamberlain and Tanya Ross Jones to tax partner, specialising in oil and gas, and employment taxes and remuneration respectively. It has also appointed Nathan Roost, who specialises in the resources sector, as an advisory partner.
The big four accounting firms aside, there appear to have been few partnership promotions.
Firms not appointing WA partners, or directors as the corporate equivalent, include BDO, PKF, Bentleys, RSM Bird Cameron, William Buck, WHK Horwath and Moore Stephens.
McGrathNicol has promoted Norman Oehme, who has been with the firm since its inception, to partner.
PKF's Perth managing partner Joe Evangelista expected more movement between firms, particularly as pay increases were limited despite the worst of the GFC appearing to have passed. "People weren't moving before only because there was all that uncertainty. As WA heats up again there is going to be a lot of fluidity within the profession and out of it into commerce as well," he said.
Grant Thornton will make up to three directorship appointments in the next fortnight.
