I remember 1986 well. It was the year Argentina won the World Cup and IBM released its first laptop. That year
also marked a notable milestone for accountancy. An American firm in New York, Urbach, Kahn & Werlin
formally joined forces with London-based firm Hacker Young to create an international association called
Urbach Hacker Young. UHY. Of course, I didn’t know that in 1986, but when I discovered UHY over 25 years
later, I was impressed by what I found – so I joined.
Forty years on from its transatlantic beginning, the business has grown into a worldwide network of like-
minded accounting firms. I have been privileged in my role as UHY’s Executive Director, and now CEO, to
witness how the network’s founding principles of integrity, trust and collaboration still drive its success today.
Global expansion
I joined in 2013 just three years away from its 30th anniversary, and an exciting time for the network. UHY had
recently updated its brand, giving the blue logo some contemporary curves and emphasising not only individual
and independent member firm identity but the international dimension too. Strategically it was a time of global
expansion, and my job was to help the network enter new countries, finding the right firms with the right
services in the right locations – and growing our membership of course.
But that wasn’t all. I heard increasingly from our member firms that more centralised support from the network
would be a significant way of enhancing their own marketing, particularly in getting across the international
messages that would boost their appeal to multinationals and local businesses looking to invest overseas.
Member engagement
Adopting a more centralised support model, we launched a revised webinar programme, enhanced member
firm support materials and new members’ intranet portal to enable better communications and reporting.
Alongside this we rolled out new global publications, a brand asset library and comprehensive sales tools. The
Board noted a significant shift in partner perspectives, increasingly recognising marketing as strategically vital
for their firms’ development and growth. Our smaller firms in particular benefited from central guidance and
promotional tools. By our 30th anniversary, the network was represented in 90 countries, our member firms
employing over 7,000 professionals and staff. Our regional conferences that year were defined by celebration,
optimism and the spirit of collaboration we had been building so enthusiastically.
Burdens and blessings of lockdown
None of us could have predicted a global pandemic. When countries went into lockdown in 2020, cross‐border
trade stalled, entire industries were devastated, and our member firms and their clients found their day‐to‐day
operations severely disrupted — in some cases confronting a threat to their very survival. Looking back, I’m
both humbled and proud of how our firms stepped forward and demonstrated real leadership during an
exceptionally challenging period.
Our offices across the world accelerated adoption of cloud-based accounting and communication methods to
offer remote business continuity to clients. They shared ideas and solutions. They adjusted policy and process
to enable employees to work safely from home, supporting and motivating them, putting wellbeing at the top
of the list.
In turn, the UHY Board, and my team in the (virtual) UHY Executive Office adopted complementary measures:
videoconferencing with Zoom and Teams for more intimate engagement; taking our regional conferences for
2020 online to maintain networking and momentum; facilitating technical accounting updates to mitigate
Covid-19 impacts on business timelines and deadlines, especially in audit and assurance. We learned so much
about the power of collaboration in a client-centric culture.
When borders reopened a new set of economic challenges emerged as nations counted the cost of downtime
and our profession found itself in demand as never before. UHY member firms have been able to play a big part
in recovery and helping their clients to ‘turn the corner’.
Reaching 40
The years since Covid have been marked by global economic and geopolitical uncertainty. It has never been
more important for organisations to have trusted advisors they can turn to for help in navigating change. For
2024 the Board was delighted to report record revenues and the highest levels of cross-border business in the
history of UHY. The network grew again last year and in 2026, our anniversary year, I am sure we will continue
to grow further, in testament to the effort of what is now a 10,000-strong network of talented people operating
under the UHY brand around the world.
The network is in great shape. Since October 2024 we have had a new global chairman and a new global brand.
Both are pushing boundaries and leading UHY into a new era, fostering a uniquely collaborative culture under a
unified flagship brand that preserves each firm’s independence while bringing everyone together under one
visual identity.
I have had the honour and pleasure of working with six UHY chairmen who have expertly steered the network
to where we are today. Our current Chair, Roberto Macho, is no stranger to UHY, being one of the longest
serving board members and an early member of the fledgling network all those years ago. With Roberto’s
leadership, a committed Board and an engaged membership, the future looks bright.
So, we proudly celebrate the network’s legacy, strengths and successes. In 1986 UHY International was
launched in New York in October, and we will mark the moment at our own Annual Conference in Atlanta,
Georgia, USA, this October. In our 40th year, let the party begin!
Autor
