Weekender Digest
WEEKLY EDITION BY MARINA MOUKA
Welcome to your latest Accountancy Age’s Weekend Digest, your go-to source for the week’s top insights and updates tailored for accountants.
◼ Hundreds at Deloitte, PwC, and EY cheated on ethics exams - now regulators are cracking down.
◼ Big Four firms are cutting grad roles and hiring AI instead, while betting big on AI assurance.
◼ Gen Z doesn’t want your job - they want their own firm. Here’s how accountancy is changing.
TOP LONG WEEKEND READS
NEWS
Deloitte, PwC, and EY’s Dutch firms have been fined a combined $8.5m after US regulators uncovered widespread cheating on ethics and training exams between 2018 and 2022. Senior leaders were among “hundreds” implicated. The scandal follows KPMG Netherlands’ $25m penalty in 2023 for similar misconduct. The PCAOB condemned the breach of trust and is tightening oversight, while Dutch regulators prepare a new compliance programme. All three firms have since imposed stricter policies and disciplinary action amid pressure to address deeper cultural issues.
INSIGHTS
Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC have cut graduate hiring by up to 29% as generative AI and offshoring reshape early-career roles. Tasks once handled by entry-level staff—like research, compliance checks, and drafting—are increasingly being automated or outsourced. At the same time, firms are pivoting towards AI assurance services, viewing them as a strategic growth area. With public trust in AI still low and graduate opportunities shrinking, the Big Four face mounting pressure to balance innovation, workforce development, and audit quality.
INSIGHTS
Three in four Gen Z accountancy students want to start their own business, according to Intuit. Instead of following the traditional audit-to-partner route, young professionals are treating accountancy as a launchpad for entrepreneurship and advisory work. Strong digital skills and a desire for autonomy are driving this shift. Yet barriers remain—costly qualifications, lack of mentorship, and gender disparities. Still, this new generation could reshape the profession into something more inclusive, tech-savvy, and aligned with modern ambitions.
🗳️ WEEKLY POLL RESULTS
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