Today’s news in brief – 30/10/2024

PwC's global revenues rose by 3.7% to $55.4bn in FY24, driven by growth across divisions: assurance grew 3.4% to $19.5bn, advisory 2.6% to $23.3bn, and tax and legal up 6.3% to $12.6bn. Regional revenue varied, with EMEA seeing 8.7% growth, a 3.4% increase in the Americas despite U.S. challenges, and a 5.6% decline in Asia Pacific. PwC invested $1.5bn in AI, enhanced audit tools, and signed an agreement with OpenAI, becoming its largest ChatGPT Enterprise user. Chairman Mohamed Kande praised PwC’s resilience, and the firm aims to foster trust and innovation to help clients navigate global complexities. Xeinadin acquired three Haines Watts offices in Grimsby, Scunthorpe, and Hessle, adding 23 employees under their original management as the newly branded Xeinadin Humber offices. The acquisition, led by Partner Jennifer Toulson, is part of Xeinadin’s growth, marking its 27th acquisition in two years following the addition of Clay Shaw Thomas and Jones Harris Limited. CEO Derry Crowley welcomed the team’s track record with local businesses and sees this expansion as a key growth milestone. Toulson expressed enthusiasm for continued client service in Yorkshire while leveraging Xeinadin’s extensive resources for small business support across the region. UHY Hacker Young revealed a refreshed brand identity featuring a bold green colour scheme, replacing traditional accountancy blues. The rebrand aligns with UHY International’s global identity shift and strengthens its unified brand across 96 countries and 9,700 professionals. UHY Hacker Young's 900-strong UK staff will embrace the new identity, emphasising growth and client-centric values. UK Chairman Colin Wright explained the new colour reflects ambition and prosperity for both clients and the firm. He emphasised the value of UHY’s independent structure, which prioritises dedicated service to clients, supported by extensive national resources and technical expertise. Thompson Wright Chartered Accountants advised Impulse Embedded Limited on its sale to Acal BFi Group. Founded in 1993, Impulse Embedded specialises in industrial computing solutions, while Acal BFi provides customised embedded systems and related technologies across Europe. Thompson Wright’s team, led by Dan Oakes and Jessica Swinton, provided tax and strategic guidance to streamline the transaction for Impulse’s shareholders. Impulse CEO Craig Stone credited Thompson Wright’s expertise as essential to the acquisition’s smooth completion. Both firms view the transaction as a foundation for growth in the embedded computing sector, with Thompson Wright supporting future expansion plans.