The firm will focus on providing specialist advisory, tax and audit services to meet the needs of private companies, high net worth families and family owned businesses, which dominate the regional landscape.
The news was announced today by NSW Premier Mike Baird at the Western Sydney Business Connection’s Major Business Leader Luncheon attended by 400 western Sydney business executives.
KPMG plans to open its new office at 91 Phillip Street, Parramatta before Christmas, after signing a lease agreement this week.
The firm has also secured signage rights for the building. Initially around 30 partners and staff will relocate to Parramatta from its Sydney office for the opening. However, KPMG CEO, Gary Wingrove, has ambitions to create more than 200 new jobs there within three years.
“This expansion is an important milestone in growing our Private Enterprise business. There is an emerging focus on the private market by KPMG internationally, with growing investment in capability and services which can be leveraged across our global platform. In Australia, KPMG’s Private Enterprise business experienced strong growth over the past three years, and we have increased our footprint from five to thirteen offices during this time,” said Mr Wingrove.
“KPMG is excited to be opening an office in this fast growing region, adding further depth to the professional services market and supporting businesses, the community and government. We are proud to be an active contributor to generating knowledge jobs in Greater Western Sydney. And we’re already working to identify student graduates, cadets and vacationers to work with us.”
Parramatta has been selected as the location of KPMG’s first ‘live’ agile workplace, with partners and staff adopting new ways of working.
Through its national Workplace of the Future program, KPMG has been piloting agile working in its Sydney office, designed to create a more stimulating work environment and, ultimately, better outcomes for clients.
“More than 480 staff have participated – including myself. The traditional closed office will be a thing of the past, in favour of new and interesting work spaces that foster more concentrated and creative collaboration,” said Mr Wingrove.
KPMG’s Greater Western Sydney office will be led by new recruit, local businessman David Pring.
Mr Pring joined KPMG as a Partner last month from Deloitte Private, where he has worked with a focus on transformational change for the past 22 years. His previous career spanned four countries and five offices. Most recently he was a Senior Partner based at Parramatta, where he led the Consumer Business industry team in Western Sydney.
“KPMG’s new Parramatta office will enable future employees to work in the region in which they live, adding to the firm’s flexible workplace options. Over 600 KPMG staff and partners currently live in the Greater Western Sydney region and the new office will provide additional professional and lifestyle choices as they build their careers,” said Mr Pring.
“KPMG currently serves many companies that call Greater Western Sydney home, and now we can call it home too as we seek to better serve clients by being closer to them.”
Mr Pring said KPMG was currently in discussions with business and community groups to form mutually beneficial relationships to assist companies grow and benefit from the diverse GWS environment.
Today’s announcement builds on KPMG’s support of educational opportunities for students based in Western Sydney.
“Through our partnership with the Australian Business and Community Network we have recently established a new relationship with Doonside Technology High School, offering students insights into how corporate Australia operates and how they can best place themselves to take advantage of career opportunities. Alongside this, broader mentoring programs have been established for KPMG staff and Doonside students,” said Mr Wingrove.
