By David Owen
September 17 – PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) have stepped into the hot-seat vacated by KPMG as statutory auditors of FIFA. The world football body announced that the Bureau of the FIFA Council had appointed PwC Switzerland to the role.
The move comes three months after KPMG confirmed its resignation while saying it would work with its successor firm, once appointed, to facilitate an orderly transition. KPMG had fulfilled the role for most of Sepp Blatter’s long, latterly turbulent reign as FIFA President.
FIFA said the appointment of PwC – whose other audit clients include the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – was the result of a “thorough, transparent and open selection process”. It said offers received were assessed by “the appropriate experts within the FIFA administration”, who submitted their proposal to the Bureau of the FIFA Council, “in consultation with the chair and deputy chair of the Audit and Compliance Committee”.
“We are delighted to have appointed PwC, and we look forward to working with them as FIFA moves forward with its programme of reforms,” said Gianni Infantino, the current FIFA President.
The firm’s appointment is valid initially until the next FIFA Congress, in May; Congress will then decide on the appointment of auditors for a full three-year period.
A FIFA statement in June had noted that it acknowledged KPMG’s decision to step down “after more than a decade of service”. It continued, “FIFA welcomes this change as it gives the organisation the opportunity to work with a new audit firm, which will be appointed soon.”
FIFA has also announced the appointment of Edward Hanover to the post of chief compliance officer from October 1. Hanover joins from Takeda Pharmaceuticals International in Singapore,
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