KPMG Asia Pacific announces record results and a new regional strategy to enhance trust and drive growth, with plans for significant investment in talent and technology

-- The KPMG Asia Pacific Board has committed to invest over USD1bn in the next four years to further develop and deliver innovative solutions to clients across the region.

-- Asia Pacific will be an innovation hub for KPMG globally,with specific focus on digital ignition centres,platform solutions,cyber security and cloud services.

-- KPMG Asia Pacific will hire over 25,000 professionals to support client's navigating through and succeeding in an increasingly complex environment of disruption,transformation and regulatory changes.

HONG KONG,Dec. 20,2018 -- KPMG Asia Pacific is pleased to announce record results for FY18 and plans for significant regional investment in talent and technology,as well as enhancedcollaboration in the region.

Honson To,Chairman of KPMG's Asia Pacific region and Co-Chairman of KPMG China,said: "We have just announced record results in FY18 for KPMG Globally and in particular for Asia Pacific,achieving the fastest growth rates,delivering USD4.9bnrevenues and reflecting the strength and importance of our multi-disciplinary Firm. We have also seen a 4th year of double digit advisory growth in Asia Pacific. To build on this momentum,we are today announcing our new regional strategy predicated on trust and growth with our ambition to double in size over the next five years. We have committed to collectively invest over USD1bn in a multi-year investment program to further develop holistic and tailored solutions for our clients and also co-create with our clients and strategic alliance partners through our new innovation hubs,ignition centres and other centres of excellence across the region."

As the fastest growing region,KPMG Asia Pacific is also looking to expand its footprint across all 20 countries and jurisdictions where it operates. This includes plans to create over 25,000 diversely skilled professional roles over the next four years,in line with the Firm's workforce of the future strategy,focused on broadening capability to include STEM skills and developing the next generation of cyber,cloud and regulatory change experts,solution architects and digital transformation specialists.

Honson To added: "This is a very exciting time for our Firm and I am optimistic about the future. We plan to create more jobs,and invest more money in innovation and solution development than at any other point in our history. The scale and pace of this investment is critical to support the changing needs and complexities facing our clients with a number of them expanding their global capabilities and footprint,particularly our Regional Brand Defining clients."

"KPMG globally is increasingly looking to this region to act as a growth engine for innovation. Our alliances with key technology partners,as well as our own investments in digital solutions,are designed to help our clients seize the opportunity of cloud based solutions to drive efficiency and service improvements and to support international businesses into the region. We are developing innovative and transformational solutions ranging from Cyber Security and Blockchain solutions,digital tax compliance solutions,as well as significant investment in our Audit platform,Clara,to help enhance audit quality. Our recently opened Digital Ignition Centres in Singapore and Japan,as well as established centres in Australia and China,offer clients the chance to use leading edge technology and explore how it can reshape their business,a great example of our investment plan delivering benefits to clients in the region."

"We will also continue to invest significantly to enhance quality and public trust to ensure that business in the region can be conducted with confidence and assurance," added To.

KPMGhas recently launched its inaugural Global Inclusion & Diversity Report to further emphasize focus on creating a truly inclusive and diverse culture as a strategic priority. Key highlights for Asia Pacific include an increase in the number of female partners to 23%,as well as women representing 54% of new hires and 52% of the total workforce.

"The Firm's refreshed Asia Pacific strategy is closely aligned with the global collective strategy and centred on greater regional collaboration and integration,delivered through our new corporate structure and co-operation agreement.This growth and investment is not only great news for KPMG and the people we will hire,it will also play a major role in helping our region reach its economic potential on the global stage," concluded To.

For more information and to read the report,please visit www.kpmg.com/globalreview

About KPMG International

KPMG is a global network of professional services firms providing Audit,Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 154 countries and territories and have 200,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative ("KPMG International"),a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

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