World's consulting brass checks in

The brass of the world's leading professional services firms is making a beeline for India. While Alistair Johnston, KPMG's London-based international managing partner (global markets) is in town, PricewaterhouseCoopers CEO Samuel A DiPiazza, Jr is on his way to the city accompanied by Willem Bröcker, the firm's global managing partner (markets), even as the Ernst & Young brass led by its global chairman James S Turley is descending on New Delhi next week.

Johnston is on his maiden visit to India to meet KPMG's India board apart from the local representatives of the firm's global clients. His visit comes soon after a new three-member leadership team chaired by senior partner Vijay Malhotra took over from Gautam Dalal on February 1.

An even more high-profile visit is in the offing. KPMG sources told Business Standard the firm's global CEO, Mike Rake, was expected to pay a visit to India some time in June.

Like Johnston, this will be PwC's DiPiazza's maiden visit to the country. DiPiazza took over as the global CEO of PwC on January 1, 2002.

Prior to taking up his current assignment, he served as chairman and senior partner of PwC in the US. It is worth noting that among all the global professional services firms operating in India, PwC has the largest practice.

This is the first time the leading professional services firm's most senior executives will be in India together.

Ernst & Young's Turley and the firm's CEO Rick Bobrow are scheduled to attend the firm's India partners' meeting scheduled later this month.

The contingent will be complemented by Nick Land, area managing partner, UK region, Paul Ostling, executive partner on the global executive board, Norbert Becker, chief financial officer,  Jean Charles Raufast, global managing partner for integration (with Andersen) and eight other senior partners from the US, UK, Asia-Pacific, Africa and West Asia.

"We are excited and proud to host the international leadership. Their presence will make an immeasurable contribution to the Indian firm," said Kashi Memani, chairman, Ernst & Young India. Industry watchers view these visits as a sign of the growing commitment from Ernst & Young to its Indian arm.