KPMG Israel

KPMG Israel
Name	KPMG Israel
Type	Partnership
Industry	Professional services
Founded	1976
Headquarters	Tel Aviv, Israel
Key people	Moshe Levinson, Eyal Oren
Products	Audit, Tax, Advisory, Risk Consulting, Transaction Services
Parent	KPMG International

KPMG Israel is a professional services firm providing audit, tax, advisory, risk and transaction services in Israel. Established in the 1970s and affiliated with a global network, the firm serves corporations, financial institutions, government-owned enterprises, and start-ups across technology and industrial sectors. It participates in cross-border engagements linked to markets in Europe, North America and Asia while maintaining local regulatory and market relationships.

History

The firm traces its origins to the expansion of international accountancy networks into Israel during the 20th century, following precedents set by firms such as Arthur Andersen, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, and Ernst & Young. Its development paralleled milestones like the evolution of the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, the growth of the Israeli tech sector, and privatization waves involving entities such as Israel Electric Corporation and Bank Leumi. Leadership changes and mergers reflected trends seen in global scandals involving Enron and regulatory responses like legislation modeled after Sarbanes–Oxley Act. Over time the firm adapted to Israeli legal frameworks exemplified by rulings from the Supreme Court of Israel and oversight by the Israel Securities Authority.

Services and Practice Areas

KPMG Israel offers services across traditional and specialist domains: statutory and financial statement auditing akin to practices used at Royal Bank of Scotland audits; tax advisory connected to cross-border structures observed with multinational groups like Microsoft and Intel Corporation; transaction advisory similar to work for mergers comparable to deals involving Teva Pharmaceutical Industries; risk consulting drawing on methodologies used at JPMorgan Chase; and cybersecurity services paralleling engagements for companies such as Check Point Software Technologies. The firm also provides industry-focused teams servicing sectors represented by Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries, Strauss Group, and Bezeq. Practice lines include forensic accounting associated with investigations comparable to probes into Mossad-linked controversies and compliance work responding to international standards set by bodies like the International Accounting Standards Board.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The partnership model reflects structures present in firms like McKinsey & Company and Goldman Sachs boutiques, combining elected partners, a management board, and practice leaders. Administrative oversight interacts with regulators including the Ministry of Finance (Israel) and standard-setters such as the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Israel. Leadership has included partners who previously held senior positions at major corporates or governmental advisory posts comparable to appointments seen at Bank of Israel or the Ministry of Defence (Israel). The firm’s governance framework uses committees for audit quality, risk management and ethics, mirroring arrangements at global firms such as KPMG International affiliates in United Kingdom, United States, and Germany.

Market Position and Major Clients

KPMG Israel competes in a market alongside multinational rivals like Deloitte Israel, PwC Israel, and EY Israel. Its client roster spans public companies listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and multinational groups with Israeli operations such as Google, Amazon (company), and semiconductor firms reminiscent of Intel Corporation investments in Israel. It has advised on transactions in sectors represented by Bank Hapoalim, Discount Bank, and industrial groups similar to NICE Systems. Market share dynamics reflect consolidation trends observed in global professional services and local regulatory scrutiny from the Israel Securities Authority and competition oversight akin to interventions by the Antitrust Authority (Israel).

Legal Issues and Controversies

The firm has operated in a landscape marked by high-profile corporate investigations and regulatory enforcement that affected the broader audit industry, as with cases involving Bank Leumi and corporate governance reviews triggered by public inquiries such as commissions reminiscent of the Turkel Commission. Legal challenges in the sector have involved allegations of audit failures, conflicts of interest, and regulatory compliance issues addressed through Israeli courts and administrative sanctions by the Israel Securities Authority and professional disciplinary bodies like the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Israel. Outcomes have influenced audit regulation, partner rotation rules and independence requirements comparable to reforms enacted internationally after the 2008 financial crisis.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Engagement

The firm engages in CSR initiatives similar to programs at Cisco Systems and Microsoft regional offices, focusing on education, pro bono advisory, and capacity-building for non-profits such as organizations in the vein of Magen David Adom and IsraAID. Scholarship and mentorship programs collaborate with universities including Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. Environmental and sustainability reporting work aligns with frameworks from the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures and supports clients aspiring to standards promoted by groups like United Nations Global Compact.

Offices and Global Affiliations

Headquartered in Tel Aviv, the firm maintains offices in major Israeli centers comparable to branches located in Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba to serve local industry clusters and tech hubs such as Silicon Wadi. Its affiliation with an international network enables coordination with member firms across regions, facilitating cross-border engagements with counterparts in United States, United Kingdom, Germany, India, China, and Brazil. Global alliances provide access to specialist units and methodologies used in cross-border tax planning and transaction execution for clients operating in markets like European Union member states and the United States of America.

Category:Accounting firms Category:Professional services in Israel