IFAC: Private Equity Investment in Accountancy – Research and Online Resource

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IFAC: Private Equity Investment in Accountancy – Research and Online Resource

• 05 March 2026
• Miscellaneous
• South African Accounting Academy

Summary:
The International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) has released new global research analyzing the rapid growth of private equity (PE) investment in professional accountancy firms and its potential implications for the future of the profession. 

Article:
The objective of this work is to raise awareness and enhance understanding so that accountancy professionals can engage in informed, evidence-based discussions with regulators, clients, and other stakeholders, while providing a globally comprehensive source of data and analysis on this rapidly emerging market trend.

As a global organization representing over 188 professional accountancy organizations in more than 140 jurisdictions, IFAC is sizing the scale of the trend and identifying its potential implications for transaction structures, firm oversight, independence and conflicts of interest, audit quality, consolidation and competition, and the attractiveness of the profession through research and extensive engagement with stakeholders, including firms, regulators, investors, and professional bodies.  

As part of a broader global phenomenon, IFAC has identified more than 1,000 accountancy firms worldwide that have experienced private equity investment over the past ten years, with activity accelerating significantly since 2022. While transactions are currently concentrated in Continental Europe, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and the United States, the trend is increasingly shaping the profession globally. The research indicates that fewer than 200 initial or direct private equity investments have facilitated nearly 900 subsequent transactions, underscoring a significant wave of consolidation across the profession. 

The webpage contains, inter alia, the following information:

• PE Transaction Volume
• Where PE Investment is Taking Place
• Type of Firm Receiving PE Investment
• PE Investment Activity by Region
• "Direct" vs. "Indirect' Transactions
• 13 Key takeaways

Access an interesting resource is the IESBA Staff Alert – Private Equity Investment in Accounting Firms at https://ifacweb.blob.core.windows.net/publicfiles/2025-07/IESBA%20Staff%20Alert%20-%20PEI%20-%20Final%20%287.31.25%29_0.pdf Refer to our previous Alert date 11 August 2025

Click here to access more information:

https://www.ifac.org/private-equity-investment-accountancy 

Relevance to Auditors, Independent Reviewers & Accountants:

• As an accountant, auditor and independent reviewer, you need to be aware of and consider the information contained in publications by various professional bodies and standard-setters, e.g. IFAC, IESBA, IAASB, etc. – so that you can apply this in the performance of your duties.
• A fundamental consideration for our profession is whether Firms who focus on the benefits and opportunities of PE investment—while managing the potential challenges and risks—will become more resilient, future-fit, and more attractive, while upholding their public interest responsibility.
• IESSA must be applied by all sustainability assurance practitioners (SAPs), and should also be used by professional accountants (PAs) involved in sustainability reporting.
• Private Equity entities have specific ethics and independence requirements that must be complied with, and SAPs need to consider these when performing an assurance engagement.

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