Overview
- KPMG Australia promoted partner John Sams to chief executive effective immediately on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, after an internal search that also considered external candidates.
- Sams previously served as the firm’s chief financial officer since October 2025 and chief operating officer since June 2026 and comes from the commercial advisory and transactions practice.
- The board gave Sams a clear mandate to deliver the June Action Plan by tightening oversight, strengthening leadership and improving whistleblower protections to address failures that let staff access confidential client data.
- KPMG faces heavy scrutiny from the government, a parliamentary committee and major clients following whistleblower allegations that staff used inside information to win audit work, and several senior leaders have resigned.
- The firm is preparing to cut hundreds of roles to offset lost audit business while it engages regulators, carries out external reviews and works to rebuild trust with clients and employees.