Former Australia managing partner Gary Wingrove confirmed as KPMG’s new CEO

Gary Wingrove, KPMG’s Australian chief for eight years to 2021, has now been confirmed as the global Big Four firm’s next CEO from October, succeeding company stalwart Bill Thomas.

Recently put forward by KPMG’s global board, Wingrove has now been officially elected by the Big Four firm’s international council as its next president and CEO, replacing Thomas, who has been in the role for almost a decade since 2017.

Having served as COO since his departure from Oz, Wingrove has big boots to fill, but also an opportunity ahead, with Thomas having increased revenues by more than a half during his tenure, albeit while the firm slipped further behind its competitors. KPMG cuurently generates collective global revenues of around $40 billion, now some $30 billion behind Deloitte.

Officially formed in its present guise in 1987 and always the smallest of the Big Four, the gap upon the Canadian’s appointment in 2017 was closer to $10 billion mark, when the firm had a global headcount of around one third less than its approximate current number of over 275,000. Thomas’s time at the top would otherwise be considered a raging success, according to most metrics.

Now though, Wingrove takes charge of the accounting and consulting firm’s next era, already credited with having shaped KPMG’s renewed global strategy towards AI and tech as COO, both inside and out. Somewhat of a silent assassin, Wingrove was also responsible for more than 200 job losses in Australia during the firm’s Covid response, with a further 500 to be now axed in the UK.

He will also have a lot of other bullshit to deal with. KPMG has recently been accused of taking advantage of client data in Australia to secure new audit contracts, not quite on the same scandal-scale as PwC’s local government confidentiality breach, but getting close. Plus, there will be some other immediate regionally pressing issues straight into Wingrove’s inbox.

KPMG said of the South African native: “Before becoming global chief operating officer, Gary served as CEO of KPMG in Australia from 2013 to 2021, nearly doubling the firm’s revenues, profitability, and headcount, while reshaping its culture. His global experience underpins the strategic clarity, operational discipline and values‑led leadership he brings to the role.”

Thomas, a more than three-decade company veteran, said in response: “It’s been an honour to lead KPMG over the last nine years, and I’m so proud of the impact the team around the globe has made. I’ve had the privilege of working with Gary for more than twenty years, and he is an outstanding leader. I’m confident that under his direction, KPMG will reach new heights in the years to come.”

Lastly, Wingrove said: “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead our talented team around the world and create an environment where they can thrive. KPMG is a people‑first business. As client needs evolve, I’m committed to ensuring we bring agility, deep expertise, and AI‑enabled solutions to help them navigate complexity, manage risk, and seize new opportunities with confidence.”