Broad-based revenue growth across all service lines (3)
Our core service lines – Audit and Assurance, Advisory, Tax, and Business Services and Outsourcing – continue to grow in key markets, with our trusted teams guiding clients through market uncertainty and adding value with expertise by delivering client-focused solutions.
Audit and Assurance
Despite market shifts, heightened regulatory requirements and increasing competition, our Audit and Assurance business has continued to grow (+7%), achieving revenues of US$4.1 billion (€3.8 billion). Audit remains central to our brand and growth, representing the largest portion of our business at 42%. Our investments this year have focused on enhancing audit quality, the transformation of our suite of audit technologies, and enriching our talent experience.
Advisory
Revenues from our Advisory operations grew by 4% to US$2 billion (€1.9 billion). Growth in Advisory has been driven by client demand for the integration of digital solutions within their business models. Facilitating business transformation through technology, via our BDO Digital practise, has served as a catalyst for growth in North America and continues to demonstrate significant potential across other regions globally. Additionally, ongoing investment in tools and solutions, enhanced digital offerings, and the newly established Management Consulting stream is effectively addressing changing market needs. In 2024, we anticipate continued growth in our Advisory business, in line with increasing global demand for advisory services.
Business Services and Outsourcing
Business Services and Outsourcing grew by 7% to US$1.4 billion (€1.3 billion) in revenue. BDO offers a diverse range of outsourcing solutions designed to adapt to the needs of clients as they grow. Our focus this year has been on building meaningful client relationships and delivering an exceptional client experience. In addition, we are committed to ongoing investment in enhancing the skillsets and capabilities of our people. Simultaneously, we’re prioritising investment in technology to drive a transformative shift within our service provision.
Tax
Revenues from our Tax businesses grew by 10% to US$2.2 billion (€2.1 billion), reflecting our commitment to international collaboration and the delivery of superior client service. Our Tax teams excelled in the execution of cross-border client initiatives and in effectively addressing client challenges on local and global scales. Economic challenges related to climate change, energy transition, workforce mobility, and digitalisation have increased demand for an international tax response, amid renewed attention to domestic financial affairs and national borders. Additionally, there is heightened focus on international tax assurance and risk management. Demand for agile and international advisers to help clients meet compliance and reporting obligations has consistently increased, in line with the continually evolving regulatory environment.
A thriving global team
Our global headcount continues to expand as we look to secure the best talent to support our clients and fuel our growth. In 2023, we increased our global headcount by 3.9%, adding specialists and subject-matter experts at all levels and across all service lines. Our diverse global team of over 115,600 people combines global expertise with local knowledge to deliver bespoke client solutions.
Our global workforce has grown through the integration of technology that has facilitated the scalability of teams by streamlining processes, automating tasks, and enabling more efficient collaboration. By leveraging technology, we are enhancing the training and upskilling of our teams to elevate the client experience.
We’re committed to empowering our people globally and ensuring that they have the skills to develop thriving careers. We’re proud that BDO is a place where people want to work, as illustrated by our inclusion this year in ‘Canada's Top 100 Employers.’
Our unwavering commitment to quality
We remain an organisation that is deeply committed to exceptional client service. Quality is a strategic priority, and we have increased our efforts in this area by continually developing our independence, privacy, and quality monitoring programmes. Throughout the year, our primary focus has been on elevating audit quality, with investment in resources to drive consistent, high-quality outcomes. Our aim is to consistently deliver exceptional, top-tier services, fostering confidence and securing trust among capital markets, regulators, investors, and our clients.
Elevating technology across our organisation
We are investing in digital solutions and AI, blending responsible digital intelligence with data analytics to generate insights, facilitate intelligence-driven decision-making, achieve efficiencies, and generate cost savings. These investments also serve to attract and retain talent to pursue careers they desire embracing AI and technology, and deliver transformational value to our clients responsibly.
This year, BDO expanded its collaboration with Microsoft as a strategic partner. The alliance will benefit Microsoft and BDO clients in the enterprise and mid-markets, and continue the digital transformation of our business.
Embracing a sustainable future
With a focus on a resilient and thriving future, we are dedicated to sustainability. Our global sustainability programme ensures that we work together globally for the best interests of our people and our planet.
In 2021, we pledged to the Net Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050 or sooner. This commitment is driven by our net zero programme, which provides our firms with a standardised global approach and method to aid their journey to net zero. This includes calculating emissions, setting net-zero targets, and annual reporting obligations.
Through our comprehensive portfolio of sustainability services, we’re also supporting clients to fulfil their ESG ambitions, further driving positive change towards a sustainable future for all.
Supporting humanitarian efforts globally
The BDO organisation leverages its teams worldwide to help those impacted by humanitarian crises. Throughout the past year, we have witnessed the powerful effect of our organisation uniting to support colleagues and others affected by natural disasters and other tragic events. Our Solidarity Fund provided immediate financial aid for colleagues and their families in Ukraine. Further efforts were made in response to the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, and donations were also made to provide first aid, shelter, food, and financial assistance to those affected by the recent conflict in the Middle East.
Note to editors:
[‘BDO’, ‘we’, ‘us’, and ‘our’ refer to one or more of BDO International Limited, its network of independent member firms (‘the BDO network’), and their related entities.]
The BDO network (referred to as the ‘BDO network’) is an international network of independent public accounting, tax and advisory firms which are members of BDO International Limited and perform
professional services under the name and style of BDO (hereafter: ‘BDO member firms’). BDO International Limited is a UK company limited by guarantee. It is the governing entity of the BDO network.
Service provision within the BDO network is coordinated by Brussels Worldwide Services BV, a limited liability company incorporated in Belgium.
Each of BDO International Limited, Brussels Worldwide Services BV and the BDO member firms is a separate legal entity and has no liability for another entity’s acts or omissions. Nothing in the arrangements or rules of the BDO network shall constitute or imply an agency relationship or a partnership between BDO International Limited, Brussels Worldwide Services BV and/or the BDO member firms. Neither BDO International Limited nor any other central entities of the BDO network provide services to clients.
BDO is the brand name for the BDO network and for each of the BDO member firms.
The fee income of the member firms in the BDO network, including the members of their exclusive alliances, was over US$14 billion (€13 billion) in 2023. These public accounting, tax and advisory firms
provide professional services in 166 countries and territories, with over 115,600 people and 1,776 offices worldwide.
(1) Percentages are in domestic currency.
(2) Percentages exclude alliance firms.
(3) Values exclude alliance firms. Percentages based on USD.
