Andersen revives Andersen Consulting | Accounting Today

Andersen Consulting has returned as a consulting practice affiliated with Andersen Global, resurrected by the Andersen firm in the U.S. that similarly rebuilt the international network decades after the demise of the former Arthur Andersen firm.

The former Big Five firm Arthur Andersen collapsed in 2002 in the wake of the Enron and WorldCom scandals, but the Andersen brand was revived in 2014 by a group of former Andersen partners who changed the name of their firm from WTAS (short for Wealth and Tax Advisory Services USA Inc.) to Andersen Tax. WTAS was founded in 2002 by CEO Mark Vorsatz and 22 former Arthur Andersen partners. Vorsatz renamed the firm Andersen Tax in 2014 after acquiring the trademarks and copyrights from Arthur Andersen LLP and Andersen Worldwide and has since grown the network worldwide. Many of the firm’s expansion deals have been in other countries as it built the Andersen Global network, but it has also been expanding in the U.S. under the shortened name Andersen. The firm has been offering legal services abroad and opened a global valuation practice in 2023. It also has expanded into management consulting and global mobility services. Andersen Global now has over 19,000 professionals worldwide and a presence in over 500 locations through its member firms and collaborating firms. In the U.S., Andersen has more than 2,000 people in 24 cities across the country.

Its latest move, announced Wednesday, is to revive the Andersen Consulting practice. Andersen Consulting split from Arthur Andersen in 2000 after a long simmering conflict between two competing units of Andersen Worldwide Société Coopérative. An arbitrator in the case ruled that Andersen Consulting could operate independently from Arthur Andersen, but it was required to pay Arthur Andersen $1.2 billion and could no longer use the Andersen name. Andersen Consulting thus rebranded as Accenture on Jan. 1, 2001. Accenture continues to operate separately from the revived Andersen network. The new Andersen Consulting has no relationship or agreement with Accenture.

“Our clients are looking for innovative strategies to stay ahead in an evolving marketplace,” said Vorsatz, who is now global chairman and CEO of Andersen, in a statement. “Andersen Consulting was built to help businesses navigate this transformation. In just six months, we’ve established a consulting practice in 66 countries with 3,000 professionals, aiming for $1 billion in revenue within three years.”

Andersen Consulting will be offering services such as human capital management, cybersecurity, business transformation, strategy, technology, artificial intelligence and sustainability. Andersen will continue to steer clear of providing audit services to avoid possible conflicts. Existing consulting clients include Abbott, BMW, Cisco, Heineken, IKEA, ING, LEGO, Mercedes-Benz, Michelin, Microsoft, Pizza Hut/Sapphire, T-Mobile and Toyota.

“CEOs and boards consistently tell us that the traditional consulting model falls short,” Vorsatz added. “They want a single firm capable of delivering a comprehensive range of consulting services. Andersen Consulting delivers a fresh, entrepreneurial approach that blends deep industry expertise, AI-driven technology, and independent advisory services.”

To lead the consulting practice, Vorsatz has recruited George Shaheen, the former CEO of Andersen Consulting prior to its spin-off from Arthur Andersen. He will be joined by senior leaders from other top consulting firms. “By leveraging AI, technology and deep global expertise, Andersen Consulting is uniquely positioned to compete with the Big Four, offering unparalleled value to public and private companies worldwide,” Shaheen said in a statement. “With the largest physical footprint in professional services—a presence in 179 countries—Andersen provides an unmatched global platform. This reach enables seamless cross-border solutions, integrating technology and advisory services across industries and geographies.”