Big Five - Deloittes partner killed
Deloitte & Touche is taking steps to ensure the safety of its staff working overseas following the assassination of a senior partner working in Thailand.
The shooting of senior corporate recovery partner Michael Wansley last week prompted the firm to withdraw its team of Australian accountants advising the Thai government on restructuring industries devastated by the Asian financial crisis.
A Deloittes spokesman said: ‘Deloitte & Touche Tohmatsu has no idea of the motives for the attack and, as a consequence, we are currently occupied with ensuring the security and safety of our people in Thailand, which remains our priority.
‘However, as one of the oldest professional services firms in the country, we intend to continue to serve our clients.’
Wansley, an Australian, died in a hail of bullets when two men on a motorcycle stopped next to the van he was travelling in and fired eight shots at him from a handgun.
The news has prompted other Big Five firms to look again at the security of their own partners and employees working abroad.
A PricewaterhouseCoopers spokeswoman said the firm already advised expatriots on security issues. ‘Depending on the area, there are security briefings, and sometimes local security agencies are used,’ she said.
