The Big Four are the four largest professional services networks in the world, the global accounting networks Deloitte, Ernst & Young (EY), KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The four are often grouped because they are comparable in size relative to the rest of the market, both in terms of revenue and workforce; they are considered equal in their ability to provide a wide scope of professional services to their clients; and, among those looking to start a career in professional services, particularly accounting, they are considered equally attractive networks to work in, because of the frequency with which these firms engage with Fortune 500 companies.
Ernst & Young Global Limited, trade name EY, is a multinational professional services partnership headquartered in London, England. EY is one of the largest professional services networks in the world. Along with Deloitte, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), it is considered one of the Big Four accounting firms. It primarily provides assurance, tax, consulting and advisory services to its clients. Like many of the larger accounting firms in recent years, EY has expanded into markets adjacent to accounting, including strategy, operations, HR, technology, and financial services consulting.
KPMG International Limited is a multinational professional services network, and one of the Big Four accounting organizations.
PricewaterhouseCoopers is an international professional services brand of firms, operating as partnerships under the PwC brand. It is the second-largest professional services network in the world and is considered one of the Big Four accounting firms, along with Deloitte, EY and KPMG.
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, commonly referred to as Deloitte, is an international professional services network headquartered in London, England. Deloitte is the largest professional services network by revenue and number of professionals in the world and is considered one of the Big Four accounting firms along with EY, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).
Grant Thornton LLP is the American member firm of Grant Thornton International, the seventh largest accounting network in the world by combined fee income. Grant Thornton LLP is the sixth largest U.S. accounting and advisory organization. The firm operates 59 offices across the US with approximately 8,500 employees, 550 partners, and produces annual revenue in excess of US$1.9 billion.
RSM US LLP is an audit, tax, and consulting firm focused on the middle market in the United States and Canada and is a member of the global accounting network RSM International. It is the fifth largest accounting firm in the United States and employs more than 17,000 professionals across 93 cities nationwide and in Canada. RSM US also maintains offices in India and El Salvador. Since 2012, RSM US has been headquartered in downtown Chicago.
RSM International, branded RSM since 2015, is a multinational network of accounting firms forming the sixth-largest accountancy professional services network in the world by revenue. RSM's member firms are independent accounting and advisory businesses, each of which practices in its own right and is unified as part of the network.
RSM Robson Rhodes LLP was a partnership of chartered accountants in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was the UK member firm of RSM Global, the 6th largest network of professional accountancy firms in the world. With offices throughout the UK and Ireland, the firm offered auditing, consultancy and tax services to a wide variety of organisations in the private and public sectors.
RSM Tenon was a professional services firm based in the United Kingdom, which was listed on the FTSE SmallCap Index and part of RSM Global. The company was formed from the merger of the Tenon Group with RSM Bentley Jennison in December 2009.
Mazars is a global audit, accounting and consulting group employing more than 42,000 professionals in more than 90 countries through member firms. With head offices in France, Mazars has a network of correspondent partners and joint ventures in a further 21 countries and is a founding member of the Praxity alliance, a network of independent firms.
Grant Thornton is the world's seventh-largest by revenue and sixth-largest by number of employees professional services network of independent accounting and consulting member firms which provide assurance, tax and advisory services to privately held businesses, public interest entities, and public sector entities. Grant Thornton International Ltd. is a not-for-profit, non-practising, international umbrella membership entity organised as a private company limited by guarantee. Grant Thornton International Ltd. is incorporated in London, England, and has no share capital.
BKD, LLP, formerly Baird, Kurtz & Dobson, was one of the largest U.S. accounting and advisory firms, providing consulting, tax, assurance and accounting outsourcing solutions to businesses, government entities, not-for-profit organizations and individuals.
Vantis plc was an accountancy firm based in London, England, providing accounting, tax and business advice to owner-managed businesses, listed companies, not for profit organisations, high-net-worth individuals and other professionals. It was placed in administration on 29 June 2010 and promptly broken up, with the various offices and businesses being sold as going concerns.
Kroll, LLC, formerly Duff & Phelps LLC, is an American multinational financial consultancy firm based in New York City. It was founded as Duff & Phelps in 1932 by William Duff and George Phelps. Since then, the firm has added more than 30 complementary companies to its portfolio, including the acquisition of Kroll Inc. in 2018. Duff & Phelps decided to start rebranding itself using the Kroll name in 2021, and it completed the renaming process in February 2022.
HLB International is a global network of independent advisory and accounting firms, comprising member firms in 157 countries. HLB International member firms offer audit, accounting, tax and business advisory services.
An accounting network or accounting association is a professional services network whose principal purpose is to provide members resources to assist the clients around the world and hence reduce the uncertainty by bringing together a greater number of resources to work on a problem. The networks and associations operate independently of the independent members. The largest accounting networks are known as the Big Four.
Baker Tilly International is an accountancy and business advisory network. It is currently the 10th largest accounting network in the world by revenue with 41,000 people in 700 offices across 145 territories with combined global revenues of $4.7bn. Baker Tilly International operates geographically through four regions: Asia Pacific; Europe, Middle East and Africa; Latin America; and North America. Each region has a chair, appointed by the International Board, who leads an advisory council elected by members in that region.
Saffery Champness is a firm of chartered accountants in the UK, with a turnover of over £100 million. The firm has nine offices across the UK as well as offshore.
BDO is an international network of public accounting, tax, consulting and business advisory firms that provide professional services under the name BDO. It is the fifth-largest accounting network in the world. Global fee income of the member firms in the network for the year ended 30 September 2021, including the members of their exclusive alliances, totaled US$11.8 billion.
