We need to always remember why we are here – to help people flourish and succeed.
Wayne Berson, Chief Executive Officer of BDO USA, LLP and Chair of the Global Board of Directors of BDO International, Ltd., leads BDO’s professionals in providing middle market leaders with insight-driven perspectives, which are designed to help companies take business as usual to better than usual. Like his team, Wayne is dedicated to helping people thrive every day.
Named to Accounting Today’s ‘Top 100 Most Influential People’ for the past eight years, Wayne brings a unique perspective on what it takes to transform a successful 20th century firm into a 21st century powerhouse. From leading the firm to unparalleled growth to ensuring resilience during uncertain times to fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture of collaboration and innovation, Wayne demonstrates how a Chief Executive Officer can navigate today’s complex business environment.
Messages from Wayne
As we’ve simultaneously navigated the uncharted waters of a global health crisis, reckoned with racial injustice and xenophobia within our nation, and adapted to the fundamental changes in how we live and work, business leaders have been faced with many new challenges and have had to make incredibly difficult decisions in order to support their people, companies and communities. For Wayne’s detailed statements regarding the moments that changed our national dialogue and impacted each of us professionally and personally, please visit the messages below:
Wayne's Path to CEO
THE BDO USA GROWTH STORY
The formula BDO USA CEO and BDO International Global Board Chair Wayne Berson stands by is 1+1=3. This may sound odd, given the profession. However, the most impactful leaders understand that the strongest organizations are more than the sum of their parts. Successful organizations build upon already strong foundations by creating synergy between individuals and providing space for the best ideas to converge and grow – all for the benefit of the whole. It’s a way of thinking that BDO USA has lived by since Wayne took the helm of the firm in 2012 and set out to transform a successful 20th century firm into a 21st century powerhouse.
Since 2012, BDO USA has grown from a 2,500 to more than 9,800-person accounting and advisory middle market force, increasing its revenue from $618M to $2B. That is a growth rate of over 200%, an accomplishment no other public accounting firm has been able to achieve during a nine-year span. A significant portion of this success is a direct result of the 56 expansions Wayne and the leadership team have pursued during his tenure. In fact, only 39% of total growth can be attributed to our expansion strategy. The rest, a full 61%, is organic. This organic growth wouldn’t have been realized had we not sought out the most dynamic organizations powered by some of the smartest people in the profession. Critically, these teams were also committed to BDO’s purpose and culture and were able to seamlessly integrate to create a singularly minded firm focused on helping our people, clients and communities thrive.
“We believe the leaders of tomorrow will be those who understand and embrace disruption while cultivating a resilient and unified corporate culture,” said Wayne Berson, CEO of BDO USA and BDO International Global Board Chair. “The BDO global organization encourages an entrepreneurial mindset and diversity of thought, providing a platform that allows for robust international collaboration while equally valuing the approach each firm takes to foster innovation and excellence across each market and for each client. These unique perspectives, resources and experiences have helped drive our success and will continue to fuel our collective future.”