Global accounting giant PwC is set to lay off approximately 1,500 employees across its United States operations, a company representative confirmed to Reuters on Monday.
The affected roles represent around two per cent of the firm’s U.S. workforce, which currently stands at over 75,000 employees.
“This was a difficult decision, and we made it with care, thoughtfulness, and a deep awareness of its impact on our people, appreciating that historically low levels of attrition over consecutive years have made it necessary to take this step,” PwC said in a statement.
This downsizing follows a series of strategic changes by the firm, including last year’s consideration to cut nearly half of its financial services audit staff in China due to regulatory scrutiny and a significant loss of clientele.
More recently, PwC wound down operations in nine Sub-Saharan African nations after a network-wide evaluation. The affected countries include Ivory Coast, Gabon, Cameroon, Madagascar, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Republic of Guinea, and Equatorial Guinea.
The firm cited the closures as part of a broader strategic reassessment, aimed at exiting markets considered high-risk or no longer financially viable. The move is regarded as one of the most sweeping pullbacks by a major accounting firm in the region in recent memory.
While PwC operates through a global network of legally separate but allied firms, it acknowledged that the shutdowns came after a review of its organizational structure and regional business outlook.
Sources quoted by the Financial Times noted that internal friction has emerged between PwC’s global leadership and its local offices, particularly regarding efforts to reduce exposure to high-risk clients. Revenues in some African markets reportedly dropped by over 30% in recent years after local partners were instructed to cut ties with such clients.