In a major strategic move, professional services giant Deloitte has announced the formation of a new Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) unit that will consolidate operations across the region with combined revenues of €20 billion (£17.4 billion). The announcement follows a successful partner vote and marks a significant restructuring for one of the world's Big Four accounting and consulting firms.
A Regional Powerhouse Emerges
The newly formed Deloitte EMEA will officially launch in June 2026, bringing together 16 participating firms that currently operate across more than 80 countries. This consolidation creates a regional entity led by 6,000 partners and employing 132,000 professionals, making it one of the largest professional services organizations in the EMEA region.
While the new unit will foster regional collaboration, each participating firm will maintain responsibility for services within its own local market. This balanced approach aims to preserve local expertise while enabling cross-border cooperation on a scale previously unavailable to the organization.
Leadership Structure and Geographic Reach
The Deloitte EMEA unit will include firms from Austria, Central Europe, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Türkiye, Belgium, Central Mediterranean, Ireland, the Middle East, the Netherlands, the Nordics, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Spain. This comprehensive geographic coverage positions the new entity to serve clients across diverse markets with varying regulatory environments and business cultures.
Richard Houston, currently leading Deloitte North, South Europe and Deloitte UK, will serve as chief executive of the new EMEA unit. He will be supported by Volker Krug, CEO of Deloitte Germany, who will take the role of deputy chief executive. The leadership team will be completed by Sami Rahal, current head of Deloitte Central Europe, as chair, and Liesbeth Mol, current chair of Deloitte North and South Europe, as deputy chair.
Addressing Technological Disruption
The primary motivation behind this significant reorganization is to better address what Deloitte describes as "technological disruption" affecting clients across multiple industries. The firm plans to make substantial investments over the next four years, with more than €1.5 billion (£1.3 billion) earmarked for incremental investment across several key technology areas.
These investments will focus on:
- Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) capabilities
- Sovereign cloud infrastructure and services
- Sector-specific technology solutions
- Technologies supporting clients navigating rapidly changing markets
Houston explained the strategic rationale behind the move: "Deloitte EMEA uniquely strengthens our ability to invest at scale across borders to accelerate innovation in areas that matter most to our clients. It builds on our market-leading local partnerships while supporting collaboration at a regional level."
Global Significance and Client Expectations
Joe Ucuzoglu, Deloitte's global CEO, emphasized the importance of the EMEA region to the firm's worldwide operations. "Today marks a historic moment for Deloitte," he stated. "The EMEA region forms a critical component of the global economy – home to many of the world's most influential companies, and a key market for multinationals headquartered around the globe."
Ucuzoglu further noted that client expectations have evolved significantly: "Our clients expect leading expertise wherever it is based, alongside seamless cross-border and technology-enabled delivery at speed." This recognition of changing client needs has directly informed the decision to create a more integrated regional structure capable of delivering sophisticated, technology-driven solutions across multiple jurisdictions.
Financial Context and Market Position
The announcement comes as Deloitte UK reported mixed financial results in its latest reporting period. While UK profits increased, revenues declined to £5.68 billion, highlighting the competitive pressures and market dynamics that may have contributed to the decision to pursue greater regional integration.
The creation of the EMEA unit represents one of the most significant organizational changes in Deloitte's recent history and signals a strategic shift toward greater regional coordination in response to technological transformation affecting clients across multiple sectors. As businesses increasingly operate across borders and face complex digital challenges, Deloitte's new structure aims to position the firm as a leader in delivering integrated, technology-enabled professional services throughout the EMEA region.
