KPMG has established a specialist new business to help
Indigenous enterprises grow.
Building on a strong track record of investment in
Indigenous Australia over the past 15 years, the launch of KPMG Indigenous
Services will meet a growing demand for professional services from the
10,000-plus Indigenous enterprises across Australia.
Under the leadership of experienced financial services
executive Glen Brennan, KPMG Indigenous Services will focus on providing the
firm’s suite of professional services to Indigenous businesses, enterprises and
Traditional Owners.
Mr Brennan, who joins KPMG as a Partner after almost 15
years with National Australia Bank, said driving economic development will
underpin his approach.
“I’m passionate about growing Indigenous enterprise and
delighted to be joining KPMG, a firm with a long history of working with
Indigenous Australians with market-leading skills. Our new business will build
on the substantial platform of engagement already established by KPMG, helping
Indigenous Australians achieve their aspirations by growing their businesses.”
“I’ve spent much of my life attempting to make a positive
impact on the lives of my people and our vision is to harness the expertise and
capability of KPMG’s professional services and deliver it to where it is most
needed and can make the most difference,” he said.
A Gomeroi man from Narrabri in northern NSW, Glen’s most
recent role with National Australia Bank was Managing Partner of its High
Growth and Emerging Corporate business, focused on helping businesses with complex
needs to succeed and grow.
Other roles included Head of Indigenous Business
Development, where he led the bank’s commercial and non-commercial Indigenous
banking activities. Prior to NAB, he held various executive roles across 10
years spent with the Australian Government. He is also the Chairman of
Aboriginal Employment Strategy, a 100 percent Indigenous managed national
not-for-profit recruitment company.
Indigenous businesses are on the rise
Indigenous businesses are growing in number and size across
all parts of Australia. The most recent Census showed the number of
Indigenous businesses was growing 30 times faster than non-Indigenous
businesses.
KPMG Australia CEO, Gary Wingrove said: “KPMG’s deep
experience and engagement in Indigenous business has helped us recognise how
best to support commercial enterprise.”
“While there is undoubtedly a social imperative for
Indigenous Australia to participate in economic growth, the genesis of KPMG
Indigenous Services is absolutely demand-driven. Indigenous enterprises and
organisations face the same challenges as non-Indigenous businesses but are
often lacking scale or are on much steeper growth trajectories.”
“With our expertise and capabilities, KPMG can offer
Indigenous businesses the full range of advice and services to fulfil their
growth potential. We believe that successful, commercial enterprise and a
strong Indigenous business sector is key to transformative social and economic
outcomes for Indigenous business owners, their families and communities,” he
added.
KPMG has had a longstanding involvement in reconciliation
and Indigenous social and economic development since 2006, empowering
its people to use their professional skills to enhance the capacity and
build the sustainability of Indigenous organisations and businesses.
As a Founding Member of Supply Nation in 2009 (then AIMSC),
KPMG has a demonstrated commitment to procuring from Indigenous businesses for
more than a decade. More recently, KPMG was a founding signatory to the
Business Council of Australia’s Raising the Bar initiative and is the first
professional services firm to have a preferred supplier relationship with an
Indigenous owned business.
In 2016, KPMG formed a joint venture with Arrilla Indigenous
Consulting, a cultural competency company established to better equip corporate
Australia to partner with Indigenous businesses.
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