From left: Steve Varley (Ernst & Young) and Sir Nigel Knowles (DLA Piper)
A comment frequently heard from clients is: “You’re not really global are you? You’re just a network of member firms.” And it’s a fair challenge, because that’s exactly what most so-called global firms are.
But not Ernst & Young which, on 1 July 2008, took a bold step towards achieving global integration by bringing together 64,000 people in 87 partnerships across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa into one EMEIA area. The move has:
- Transformed the way that services are delivered to clients.
- Improved operational effectiveness with the firm becoming far more streamlined and efficient.
- Confirmed the firm as one of the world’s most globally integrated professional services organisations.
- Created a truly global culture with a mobile and diverse mindset that is making a real difference every day for the firm’s clients and people.
The move is also paying financial dividends. Despite the extremely challenging conditions, the UK firm achieved 8% revenue growth in 2009 at a time when its competitors showed little or no growth. The creation of EMEIA is seen as a critical factor behind that growth.