KPMG History

The KPMG network was formed in 1987 when Peat Marwick International and Klynveld Main Goerdeler merged along with their respective member firms.

Principal founding members

There were four key figures in the formation of KPMG. They are the founding members of the present organization.

Klynveld

Piet Klynveld founded the accounting firm Klynveld Kraayenhof & Co in Amsterdam in 1917.

Peat

William Barclay Peat founded the accounting firm Peat & Co in London.

Marwick

James Marwick established the accounting firm Marwick, Mitchell & Co in New York City in 1897.

Goerdeler

Dr. Reinhard Goerdeler was the first president of the International Federation of Accountants and a chairman of KPMG. He is credited with laying the foundations of the Klynveld Main Goerdeler merger.

About KPMG

KPMG operates as an international network of member firms offering audit, tax and advisory services. We work closely with our clients, helping them to mitigate risks and grasp opportunities.

Our firms' clients include business corporations, governments and public sector agencies and not-for-profit organizations. They look to KPMG for a consistent standard of service based on high order professional capabilities, industry insight and local knowledge.

KPMG member firms can be found in over 140 countries. Collectively they employ more than 135,000 people across a range of disciplines.

Sustaining and enhancing the quality of this professional workforce is KPMG’s primary objective. Wherever we operate we want our firms to be no less than the professional employers of choice.

Our people embrace KPMG’s values. These values determine how we interact with clients, with each other and with the world around us. They define what we stand for and how we do things.

We contribute to the effective functioning of international capital markets. We support reforms that strengthen the markets’ credibility and their social responsibility. We believe that similar reform must extend to the professional realm.

At KPMG we try to create sustainable, long-term economic growth, not just for our member firms and their clients but for the broader society, too. We seek to be a good corporate citizen, making a real difference to the communities in which we operate.