KPMG Global

About
International Annual Review 2012

The KPMG International Annual Review focuses on our record of achievement and those who define us as an organization: clients, people and communities.

Leading change in our society

We will build and sustain our reputation as the best firm to work with by ensuring that our people, our clients and our communities achieve their full potential.
Topics
Global IFRS Institute

KPMG's Global IFRS Institute provides information and resources to help Board and Audit Committee Members, Executives, Management, Stakeholders and Government Representatives gain insight on the evolving global financial reporting framework.

Climate Change and Sustainability Services

CC&S is a global network of professionals providing sustainability & climate change services delivering value to corporate & public sector clients.
Industries
Mining

Mining organizations need to adapt across the mining asset lifecycle, from expansion to closure, as changing economic, political and regulatory environment demand greater flexibility.

Chemicals

The Chemical industry’s landscape is changing fast - global companies are developing or launching new products and services – and appear optimistic - setting sights on geographic expansion.
Services
- Tax rates online
Research
Something to teach, Something to learn: Global perspectives on healthcare

Something to Teach, Something to Learn addresses practitioners rather than policy makers - and it champions real and successful developments as well as showing how new theories can be applied in the real world.

Green Tax Index

This report provides an analysis of the complex, fragmented and rapidly evolving green tax landscape worldwide. It aims to encourage companies to explore the opportunities of green tax incentives, and to reduce exposure to green tax penalties.
Careers
Global job search

The global job search tool allows you to search available career opportunities within many of our 150 member firms worldwide.

International case competition

KPMG's International Case Competition (KICC) is a chance for students to challenge yourself to solve a real business issue and an opportunity to meet new people across the globe.

KEC Madinah: transforming a holy city into a knowledge economy

For officials at Saudi Arabia's Knowledge Economic City (KEC) in Madinah (the home of the Prophet Muhammad and site where the Qur'an was compiled), proximity to the Holy Mosque brings more opportunities than challenges. The project is primarily intended to attract knowledge-based industries to the Kingdom through a mixture of high-quality technology infrastructure and supportive regulation. But the site also sits on the main route between the city's airport (soon to be expanded into an International facility) and the Holy Mosque just five kilometers from the western edge of the complex. As such, KEC expects to become a major transit route for many of the pilgrims that come through the city, and an attractive location for Islamic businesses and professionals.

Developing connections

One of the biggest challenges facing the KEC planners is how to develop a world-class IT infrastructure and utilities system within an existing grid with established infrastructure. For this, KEC has partnered with the major utility providers to provide trunk connections between the site and the city network.

They are also working closely with Madinah authorities to develop projects that drive value for the region, such as a mass transit system that connects KEC, the airport, the old city and the new train station (which itself links Jeddah, Mecca and Madinah). "By taking this approach, we also enhance service to areas surrounding KEC," added Dr. Sami Baroum, Chairman of KEC. "So we are helping both the city and the utilities to reduce the investment needed to service the wider city at the same time as helping them connect world-class infrastructure for KEC."

Maintaining competitive advantage

Building a new city from the ground up requires Dr. Baroum's team to carefully prioritize their infrastructure development, particularly for technology. This means not only selecting the best combination of projects to encourage development and increase land values, but also approaching development in a modular fashion to ensure that new technologies and innovations can be embedded in future phases to help the city keep pace with technological change.

The company is also taking a pragmatic approach to attracting investors. For example, the team has examined the future social infrastructure needs of the city (such as schools, hospitals and museums), and has developed unique partnerships to encourage investment in sectors normally seen as a loss leader. "We recognize the importance of these services and facilities as value creators for a new city," notes Dr. Baroum. "So we are putting a lot of effort towards developing the investment proposition by donating land, developing operating models and drawing up business cases."

Sharp focus on the goal

But most importantly, the team is making all of their decisions from the point of view of what will ultimately provide the most value to the tenants and developers of the Knowledge Economic City itself. "Providing an environment that supports knowledge-based industries is the central focus of our efforts," added Dr. Baroum. "So we decided early on that we are not in business to develop villas, retail shops and hotels, but rather to focus on the underlying technology and infrastructure that will make the city a more attractive place to invest. If we can achieve that, then the rest should largely sort itself out."