SGV & Co.

SGV & Co.
Name	SGV & Co.
Industry	Professional services
Founded	1946
Founder	Ramon J. Santos; Washington SyCip; Harry Go
Headquarters	Makati
Key people	Washington SyCip; Ramon J. Santos; Narito M. Salazar
Num employees	5,000+ (approx.)
Parent	Ernst & Young

SGV & Co. is a Philippine professional services firm offering audit, tax, advisory, and consulting services. Established in the mid-20th century, it grew into one of the largest accounting networks in the Philippines and affiliates with a global network. The firm has been involved with major Filipino corporations, multinational corporations, regulatory institutions, and development agencies.

History

SGV & Co. traces its roots to postwar Manila when accountants and entrepreneurs sought to rebuild commerce after World War II and the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Founders including Washington SyCip, Ramon J. Santos, and Harry Go established a partnership modeled on practices from New York City, London, and Hong Kong. Throughout the Cold War era SGV served expanding industries linked to the Asian Tigers economic rise, advising clients engaged with Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and bilateral partners such as the United States and the United Kingdom. During the People Power period and subsequent administrations including those of Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino, SGV provided services to corporations negotiating regulatory shifts tied to the Plaza Miranda bombing aftermath and the 1986 Philippine Revolution. In the 1990s SGV aligned with the global consolidation of the accounting profession typified by mergers involving Arthur Andersen, KPMG, Deloitte, PwC, and Ernst & Young, ultimately formalizing its affiliation with Ernst & Young while maintaining a distinct national identity. In the 21st century the firm navigated regulatory reforms enacted by the Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines), responded to financial crises such as the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the 2008 global financial crisis, and adapted to technological change driven by platforms from Microsoft, IBM, and Oracle.

Services and Practice Areas

SGV provides audit services to publicly listed companies trading on the Philippine Stock Exchange and to private enterprises backed by investors including Temasek Holdings, Ayala Corporation, and SM Investments Corporation. Its tax practice advises on matters involving the Bureau of Internal Revenue (Philippines), international tax treaties with partners like Japan and Australia, and transfer pricing aligned with rules of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Advisory services include transaction advisory for mergers and acquisitions involving firms such as Jollibee Foods Corporation and San Miguel Corporation, risk management consulting referencing standards from International Accounting Standards Board and International Financial Reporting Standards, and forensic accounting in disputes before bodies like the Philippine Supreme Court and international arbitral tribunals such as ICC International Court of Arbitration. Consulting engagements span technology implementations drawing on partnerships with SAP SE, Salesforce, and Google Cloud, and sustainability reporting aligned with frameworks from Global Reporting Initiative and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

Structured as a Philippine professional partnership, the firm maintains a governance board composed of partners and specialists drawn from alumni of institutions like Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, and De La Salle University. Its international affiliation with Ernst & Young provides access to global methodologies while Philippine professional regulations require local ownership and licensure under statutes administered by the Securities and Exchange Commission (Philippines) and the Professional Regulation Commission (Philippines). The firm’s leadership succession has included figures active in professional bodies such as the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants and advisory roles to government entities like the Department of Finance (Philippines).

Notable Engagements and Clients

SGV has audited and advised major conglomerates including Ayala Corporation, SM Investments Corporation, San Miguel Corporation, and Aboitiz Equity Ventures. It has served development finance and multilateral clients such as the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, and the International Finance Corporation. Transaction work has involved initial public offerings on the Philippine Stock Exchange for companies in sectors spanning banking such as BDO Unibank and Bank of the Philippine Islands, telecommunications players including PLDT and Globe Telecom, and consumer groups like Jollibee Foods Corporation. The firm has provided regulatory compliance and audit support in high-profile corporate restructurings, insolvency proceedings before the Philippine Supreme Court, and forensic inquiries tied to corporate governance debates involving families such as the Sorianos and Zobel de Ayala lineage.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Involvement

SGV engages in pro bono and corporate social responsibility programs partnering with educational and non-governmental institutions such as Ayala Foundation, Gawad Kalinga, and universities including University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University. Programs have included scholarship sponsorships, financial literacy workshops in cooperation with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and volunteer mobilizations during natural disasters related to typhoons impacting regions like Leyte and Mindanao. The firm has supported sustainability initiatives aligning with the United Nations Global Compact and climate resilience dialogues involving entities such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Philippines).

Awards and Recognition

SGV has received industry awards and recognitions from Philippine and regional bodies including citations from the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, rankings by AsiaMoney, and acknowledgements in publications such as The Philippine Daily Inquirer and BusinessWorld. Its partners have been profiled in national honors lists and academic commemorations connected to institutions like Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines.

Category:Business services companies of the Philippines