TORONTO, May 24, 2024
/CNW/ - KPMG in Canada is pleased
to announce that Benjie Thomas has
been selected as its next CEO effective October 1, 2024. He will succeed Elio Luongo
who is completing two consecutive terms on September 30, 2024.
Mr. Thomas has been a member of KPMG's management committee and
served as Managing Partner of the firm's advisory business since
2016. He is also the firm's National Industry Leader for Private
Equity and Pension Funds, a role he's held since 2006.
"I am honoured to serve as the next CEO of KPMG in Canada, a firm with a history of over 150
years in this country, who welcomed me as a student over two
decades ago and provided me with a diverse set of experiences that
prepared me for this rare privilege and responsibility," says Mr.
Thomas. "Like many Canadians, I'm the child of proud immigrants
who, through example, instilled education, work ethic, resilience,
entrepreneurship, community and most importantly a deep sense of
family and faith. These are the values that will guide my
leadership.
"The Canadian economy is facing unprecedented disruption.
Organizations are dealing with a growing list of risks and
challenges, but emerging technology also presents them with
unparalleled opportunities. My priority as CEO will be to help
Canadian businesses navigate through these times with agility and
confidence as we continue to put our clients at the centre of
everything we do."
Mr. Thomas, age 49, has more than two decades of experience in
professional services and is a highly sought-after strategic
advisor to Canadian private equity firms and pension funds. In that
capacity, he has counselled and executed on some of Canada's largest and notable
transactions.
Mr. Thomas joined KPMG in 1998 after graduating from the
University of Waterloo's accounting
program and began his career in London,
Ontario in KPMG's audit enterprise practice before
transitioning into the advisory practice in Toronto.
In 2019, he was named a Fellow of the Chartered Professional
Accountants (FCPA), the highest distinction that can be bestowed
upon a CPA. Last year, he was re-elected by industry peers as a
Council-Member-at-Large of the CPA Ontario Council.
"Having worked alongside Benjie on the firm's management
committee for the past eight years, I have seen first-hand how
dedicated he is to supporting clients, colleagues and the
communities he volunteers his time in," says Mr. Luongo. "He is a
respected leader with a collaborative approach, and a steadfast
commitment to quality and innovation. He is the right leader to
take the firm through its next chapter."
Under Mr. Luongo's leadership, KPMG in Canada has thrived, earning the trust of
clients in communities across the country and expanding its team to
over 10,000 employees and 1,000 partners.
KPMG has invested heavily in technology, including building a
proprietary generative AI platform for KPMG professionals and
upskilling its entire workforce on emerging technologies to help
its clients.
Mr. Luongo also made Inclusion, Diversity and Equity a core
tenet of his leadership. In 2022, the firm announced its Truth and
Reconciliation Action Plan, and in January, 2024 the firm unveiled
its Disability Inclusion Action plan. The firm has won
numerous employer awards, including a 2024 recognition for Best
Workplaces™ with Most Trusted Executive Teams.
About KPMG in Canada
KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service
Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For
over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting,
accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring
confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by
our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For
Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations
across Canada, serving private-
and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of
Canada's top employers and one of
the best places to work in the country.
The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global
organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG
International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each
KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes
itself as such. For more information, see kpmg.com/ca.
For media inquiries :
Kevin Dove
National
Director, External Communications and Media Relations
KPMG in Canada
(416) 777-8026
kdove@kpmg.ca
SOURCE KPMG LLP