By Sharen Kaur
Published in NST on May 16 2011
Global accounting and consulting firm RSM International expects growth to accelerate in Asia, led by economic transformation programmes and stimulus packages announced by several nations, including Malaysia.
"While the US and the UK continue to struggle, there is growth and development in Asia. Asia is critically important for us," said RSM chief executive officer (CEO) Jean M. Stephens.
RSM is the sixth largest global accountancy and consulting firm, with 730 offices in 83 countries.
It offers eight services, namely audit and assurance; risk management and internal audit; business processing outsourcing; corporate finance; business strategies; corporate recovery and insolvency; tax consulting and operational data engineering.
Despite the financial meltdown, RSM posted an increase in revenue by 19 per cent in 2008 and 8 per cent in 2009 to record US$4 billion. Last year, revenue was flat at US$4 billion (RM12 billion).
Stephens said she is expecting revenue to surpass US$4 billion this year, driven by growth in Asia.
On Malaysia, Stephens said the country is becoming a strategic place for investments, supported by the government's initiative in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) to build up various sectors all over the country.
Stephens said the ETP is timely with the aim to strengthen Malaysia's economic inter-linkages with other sectors and enhance the role of the financial sector as a key enabler and catalyst of economic growth.
"The ETP has not only been the talk of Malaysian business people and corporate giants, but has also attracted people from across the globe," Stephens said in an interview with Business Times here last Saturday.
"Malaysia is emerging from the global financial crisis and seeks to fast track growth through several programmes. These programmes will have spillover effects to Singapore as a key participant of ETP to contribute to the transformation of Malaysia into a developed high-income nation by year 2020," she said.
Stephens said RSM is growing its consulting services where it aims to attract foreign direct investments into Malaysia.
"One of the few key things that Malaysia has is natural resources, oil and gas and minerals and that is something we could capitalise on.
"We believe tourism could be expanded here. In the global world, Malaysia is known as a safe destination. If the government has incentives and it follows through with them, that would be very attractive to foreign investors," she said.
Stephens is the first and only women CEO who is running a global accounting and consulting firm. She has held the post as CEO for six years.
-ENDS-
Published in NST on May 16 2011
Global accounting and consulting firm RSM International expects growth to accelerate in Asia, led by economic transformation programmes and stimulus packages announced by several nations, including Malaysia.
"While the US and the UK continue to struggle, there is growth and development in Asia. Asia is critically important for us," said RSM chief executive officer (CEO) Jean M. Stephens.
RSM is the sixth largest global accountancy and consulting firm, with 730 offices in 83 countries.
It offers eight services, namely audit and assurance; risk management and internal audit; business processing outsourcing; corporate finance; business strategies; corporate recovery and insolvency; tax consulting and operational data engineering.
Despite the financial meltdown, RSM posted an increase in revenue by 19 per cent in 2008 and 8 per cent in 2009 to record US$4 billion. Last year, revenue was flat at US$4 billion (RM12 billion).
Stephens said she is expecting revenue to surpass US$4 billion this year, driven by growth in Asia.
On Malaysia, Stephens said the country is becoming a strategic place for investments, supported by the government's initiative in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) to build up various sectors all over the country.
Stephens said the ETP is timely with the aim to strengthen Malaysia's economic inter-linkages with other sectors and enhance the role of the financial sector as a key enabler and catalyst of economic growth.
"The ETP has not only been the talk of Malaysian business people and corporate giants, but has also attracted people from across the globe," Stephens said in an interview with Business Times here last Saturday.
"Malaysia is emerging from the global financial crisis and seeks to fast track growth through several programmes. These programmes will have spillover effects to Singapore as a key participant of ETP to contribute to the transformation of Malaysia into a developed high-income nation by year 2020," she said.
Stephens said RSM is growing its consulting services where it aims to attract foreign direct investments into Malaysia.
"One of the few key things that Malaysia has is natural resources, oil and gas and minerals and that is something we could capitalise on.
"We believe tourism could be expanded here. In the global world, Malaysia is known as a safe destination. If the government has incentives and it follows through with them, that would be very attractive to foreign investors," she said.
Stephens is the first and only women CEO who is running a global accounting and consulting firm. She has held the post as CEO for six years.
-ENDS-
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