BDO and Moore Stephens set for UK merger

Joe Stanley-Smith

November 26 2018

firms_thumbnail

BDO and Moore Stephens are in advanced merger discussions to join forces in spring 2019, in a move that would create the UK’s fifth-largest audit firm, behind the Big 4 accountancy firms.

Should the merger go through, the new firm – which would be called BDO – would still only be around a quarter of the size of KPMG, the smallest Big 4 firm. Its revenues will be around £560 million ($720 million) and it would employ 264 partners and around 5,000 staff.

Paul Eagland, BDO’s UK managing partner, cited growth opportunities, better service to clients, Brexit resilience and similar working cultures as the main reasons for the merger.

He also cited discussions around audit reform – which BDO has supported strongly – as having increased companies’ awareness of BDO’s services, and said the merger is part of its effort to compete in the higher reaches of the audit market.

BDO merged with Grant Thornton South Africa earlier this year.

Topics

News United Kingdom

Joe Stanley-Smith

Editor ITR

Joe manages ITR’s online and print coverage, and the publication’s events worldwide. He covers a range of tax issues affecting multinational corporations, particularly indirect tax matters and case studies.

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

Podcasts

ITR podcast Ryan article header

Podcast: Ryan's Tom Shave on acquisitions, competition and PE

From Dhruva Advisors to Svalner Atlas, Ryan is growing fast. Tom Shave discusses consolidation, competition, and tax’s private equity debate

Tom Baker, August 13 2026

Awards

itr midde east awards 2026 col@4x.png

ITR Middle East Tax Awards 2026: shortlist announced

ITR is delighted to reveal the shortlisted nominees for the Middle East Tax Awards

John Harrison, August 13 2026

Direct Tax

Unpacking HMRC’s approach to the pillar two side-by-side package

The UK has confirmed its approach to the OECD’s side-by-side deal, but US-parented groups may find pillar two compliance remains far from straightforward

Lauren Smyth, August 12 2026

Direct Tax

Multinationals brace for more tax disputes: Baker McKenzie survey

Fragmented pillar two taxation and increased use of AI by tax authorities have left clients fearful of heightened disputes exposure

Antonia Maria Azpeitia , August 11 2026

Direct Tax

Grant Thornton.jpg

Beyond the headlines: Why Grant Thornton’s CBIZ deal won’t create a ‘big five’

Grant Thornton Advisors’ latest acquisition has produced the fifth-largest US advisory firm by revenue, but there’s still a clear gulf between it and the big four

Tom Baker, August 10 2026

Direct Tax

handshake

Crowe secures private equity investment from KKR

Crowe joins Grant Thornton, WTS and Ryan in attracting PE investment, suggesting that dealmakers remain bullish on the tax advisory sector

Sam Sholli, August 10 2026

Direct Tax

HMRC Making Tax Digital

A taxing week: HMRC's audit woes will rightly fuel tax adviser concerns

HMRC expects advisers to meet ever-higher compliance criteria. After 24 consecutive qualified audit opinions, many will ask whether HMRC should hold itself to the same standards

Sam Sholli, August 07 2026

Indirect Tax

Wolters Kluwer

Wolters Kluwer acquires tax automation provider for €112m

The purchase of Marosa represents the second major tax tech consolidation this week, raising questions of a broader industry trend

Sam Sholli, August 06 2026

Transfer Pricing

Peru

TP in Peru: where global profitability policies meet a transaction-by-transaction regime

Peru’s approach to TP is increasingly at odds with OECD-style profitability policies, exposing multinational groups to asymmetric tax adjustments

Miguel Puga, August 06 2026

Direct Tax

Gulf Cooperation Council GCC

How ESR and pillar two are converging across the GCC

Hany Elnaggar examines how the region's legacy economic substance regimes and the OECD's pillar two framework are converging on the same underlying test

Hany Elnaggar, August 05 2026