EY to buy Montreal accounting and consulting firm Nexia Friedman

18 September 2018 Consulting.ca

Professional services firm EY has announced its intention to acquire Nexia Friedman, a Montreal-based boutique accounting and consulting firm serving private company clients. The firm will be rolled into EY’s Private Client Services practice in Montreal.

Founded in 1960 and based in Montreal, Nexia Friedman LLP provides audit, tax, and business advisory solutions primarily to high net worth individuals, families, and private businesses. Its management consulting services include M&A, turnaround, HR, fraud investigation, and litigation support.

The firm has announced that it will be joining Big Four professional services firm EY. Nexia Friedman’s 80+ tax and consulting professionals are expected to join EY’s Private Client Services practice in Montreal, which offers personal, compliance, and business tax planning to individuals, family businesses, and private company owners. The practice also offers other services like estate planning, wealth transfers, and philanthropic planning. The deal is expected to create one of the largest dedicated private company practices in Quebec. EY buys Montreal accounting and consulting firm Nexia Friedman The transaction, expected to close at the end of the month, combines Nexia Friedman’s private company boutique capabilities with EY’s comprehensive private client services and platforms. "To thrive in today's reality and tomorrow's market, businesses are evolving and ours is no exception,” said EY Montreal Managing Partner Marie Hubert. “Combining EY and Nexia Friedman's talent, approach, and experience empowers us to change the way we serve existing and future private company clients right here in Québec."

The acquired firm shares EY’s dedication to helping clients tackle the fast-paced changes affecting individuals and businesses, from automation to geopolitical shifts. "The challenges facing private companies and entrepreneurs are more complex than ever, and they need more from their business advisors,” added Hubert.

By joining EY, Nexia Friedman will look to tap into the multinational firm’s deep technological capabilities and global network of talent. "We're so proud to be joining forces with a firm that embraces innovation and digital to better serve evolving client needs,” said Nexia Friedman Managing Partner Jonathan Bicher. “Together, we'll offer clients our signature approach to personalized service, bolstered by access to a bigger, bolder service platform than ever before.”