Hong Kong accounting firms plan hiring spree and embrace AI to attract talent
Hong Kong-based accounting firms plan to continue expanding their workforce in 2026, hoping to attract newly minted accountants, even as the industry steps up the adoption of artificial intelligence, according to industry players.
“We do not believe AI is a replacement for humans, and we have not seen any reduction in hiring in the past nor do we plan to [reduce hiring] in future,” said Andrew Wong, partner of audit quality and professional practice at KPMG China. “We see AI and our people as complementary to each other.”
He added that AI improved quality and efficiency and acted as a catalyst for talent attraction and retention.
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Wong said AI was helping KPMG China’s accountants take on new and different job roles, which was “exactly what young people are looking for”.
In an era of big data, KPMG’s experience showed that AI was excellent in parsing trends and detecting anomalies from huge data sets, while it also helped analyse a range of complex issues, he said.
AI is acting as a catalyst for talent attraction and retention, according to KPMG. Photo: Jonathan Wong alt=AI is acting as a catalyst for talent attraction and retention, according to KPMG. Photo: Jonathan Wong>
Other major accounting firms have also unveiled hiring plans and begun deploying AI without replacing human staff.
Deloitte China said in October that it planned to hire about 1,000 people in Hong Kong and invest HK$500 million (US$64 million) over the next four years to expand its capabilities in fintech, capital markets operations and AI.
“Many young professionals are interested in careers in debt restructuring and liquidation, but they expect employers to provide AI tools to enhance their efficiency,” said Derek Lai Kar-yan, a senior partner and leader of Asia-Pacific turnaround and restructuring at EY. “That is why we need to invest in AI to attract young talent to join our team.”
Lai said he was planning to expand his team from 80 to 130 in 2026 and expected demand for debt restructuring and liquidations to jump due to a weak economy. This was because companies were more open towards preventive restructuring to adapt to uncertainties such as geopolitical tensions and tariffs, he added.
“Restructurings and liquidations involve a large volume of documents and transaction records,” Lai said. “With AI summarising the documents and transcribing minutes of meetings, it saves staff a lot of time and helps improve efficiency.”
