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- Imagine most of your team is moving overnight to a competitor firm —this is exactly what happened with Deloitte Middle East!
- In late 2024, PwC Middle East hired 60+ forensic professionals from Deloitte.
- Meanwhile, in India in Nov/Dec 2024, 40+ forensic & investigation professionals from Grant Thornton Bharat joined PwC India!
- Talent poaching among the Big 4 isn’t new but one thing is clear – Forensics has become one of the most lucrative and fiercely competitive sectors in the industry.
It all started with…
Deloitte decided to merge its financial and risk advisory practices in the Middle East.
According to Debtwire, the region’s Forensic Team were “not quite happy” about this merger.
Discontent began increasing!
This restructuring resulted in operational and cultural shifts, leading to guess what…Mass resignations in Dubai!
PwC was quick to capitalise on this…
According to Intelligence Online:
- Between September & November 2024, PwC Middle East hired over 60+ professionals (including 4 partners ) from Deloitte Dubai’s Forensic and Risk team!
- By February 2025, the first batch of ex-Deloitte investigators are already at their new desks at PwC.
PwC’s aggressive expansion reflects its ambition to bolster its forensic consulting team in Dubai!
Also read: KPMG India is the victim of aggressive talent poaching: Lost 50+ Partners
Of course, Deloitte ME isn’t happy
The departure of many key forensic professionals has significantly impacted Deloitte’s market positioning and client service capabilities in the Middle East.
To fix the mess, Deloitte reshuffled its leadership, bringing Neil Hargreaves out of retirement to lead the forensic division.
Finally, in Jan 2025 Deloitte Middle East appointed Simon Cuerden as Forensic & Financial Crime leader for the region.
(With over 22 years of experience at Deloitte UK, Cuerden is expected to bring deep technical expertise to help navigate the firm through this challenging period.)
But tensions from the restructuring are far from over.
According to a recent Intelligence Online report, Deloitte knows that PwC has hired nearly its entire investigations team—and they’re not happy about it. They’re reportedly considering legal action over claims of talent poaching!
Now what is happening in Forensics India
KPMG India Forensic team sees movement!
An insider shared with us
“Take KPMG Gurgaon, for instance.
In the past year alone (2024), 4 senior forensic leaders at the partner/director level have left KPMG.
One of them is Jagvinder Brar, who led the Forensic Services practice across KPMG India, and moved to the World Bank—and after him, three more directors followed suit.
What’s more surprising? The firm hasn’t even hired replacements for these key roles.”
GT Bharat forensic team sees exits!
A notable group of 40 consultants from Grant Thornton Bharat’s Forensic division has jumped ship to join PwC.
In early February 2025, Grant Thornton’s Forensics Head Samir Paranjpe (Mumbai-based) moved to PwC!
Gurgaon-based Nitin Talwar, Partner Forensic Practice at Grant Thornton Bharat moved to PwC!
Big 4 poaching is not new!
While talent movements aren’t new, the pace has notably accelerated over the past 2-3 years, signalling a transformative shift in forensic consulting.
India also saw this trend in 2023.
Deloitte
In 2023, Deloitte went on a hiring spree, snagging top talent in areas like:
- Tax
- Risk
- New Technology building a powerhouse team for the future
Deloitte hired around 53 lateral partners, with nearly half coming from competing firms (EY, KPMG, PwC), often as part of large team transitions.
Specifically, Deloitte poached 15-20 partners from KPMG’s Tax practice, along with 130-150 team members.
PwC
- PwC raided KPMG’s Advisory Practice, including ESG and technology risk consulting talent. 15-20 KPMG partners joined PwC with their teams and clients.
- From 2022-2024, PwC went on a hiring spree in its Governance, Risk, and Compliance Services (GRCS) practice. In 2023, PwC hired 20 GRC partners from KPMG.
KPMG
While KPMG was a big victim of the talent war in 2023, the firm strategically moved to regain ground.
- KPMG wooed 17-18 Deloitte partners, many of whom had previously worked with the firm.
- The recruitment targeted Deloitte’s corporate investigation and risk departments, bringing the partners and their teams into KPMG.
Also read: Big 4 India Partners jumping from one firm to another: High alert as Partner poaching surges
Wrapping up…
As corporate investigations, disputes, and compliance challenges rise, the Big 4 firms are racing to expand their teams and tap into the surging demand for financial crime and risk advisory services.
Their Middle East and India offices—are reporting impressive revenue growth.
FAQ
What is forensic consulting?
Forensic consulting involves using accounting, investigative, and analytical skills to resolve financial issues, often in the context of disputes, fraud, or litigation.
What was PwC’s revenue in the Middle East compared to other regions?
Despite economic uncertainties, PwC delivered impressive growth. Here’s a quick breakdown:
✅ Global Revenue: $55.4 billion for FY ending June 30, 2024.
✅ Steady Growth: Achieved despite a challenging economic landscape.
✅ EMEA’s Strong Performance:
- 8.6% revenue increase in the region.
- UK & Middle East led the surge with exceptional growth.
Do the Big 4 in the Middle East focus more on audit, tax, or consulting?
Historically, audit and tax have been dominant, but consulting and advisory services (especially digital transformation, risk, and ESG) are growing rapidly due to increased demand from governments and corporations.
What are the key service areas within forensic advisory?
- Fraud Investigations: Detecting and analyzing financial irregularities
- Litigation Support: Assisting in legal proceedings with expert analysis
- Anti-Bribery & Corruption (ABC) Compliance: Ensuring adherence to global regulations (e.g., FCPA, UK Bribery Act)
- Anti-Money Laundering (AML): Risk assessments and regulatory compliance
- Cyber & Digital Forensics: Investigating data breaches and cybercrimes
