The move,which suggests the partners are uncertain about whether their interests will align with PwC’s public relations strategy,was confirmed by several people with knowledge of the matter. They declined to speak publicly because they were not authorised to do so. A PwC spokesman,Cato and Conroy all declined to comment.
The fallout fromformer PwC partner Peter Collins’ decision to leak confidential government information so that the firm’s clients could minimise their tax has continued since the breach was revealed in January.
After initially playing down the scandal,PwC has attempted several circuit breakers,includingreplacing its chief executive,putting nine partners on leave and issuing a public apology. Senior executives from the global company flew to Australia in an attempt to manage the fallout,which is being watched intensely overseas.
None of PwC’s steps so far have been sufficient in stemming the tide of negative headlines as new information trickles out via parliamentary hearings pushed byLabor senator Deborah O’Neill and Greens senator Barbara Pocock.
On Wednesday,the Senate’s inquiry into consulting services will have a public hearing where officials from key Commonwealth agencies in the scandal – the Department of Finance,Treasury,the Australian Taxation Office and the Tax Practitioners Board – will all give evidence.
Even before Cato’s appointment,PwC had a host of the nation’s most influential spin doctors working on its behalf,providing a glimpse of how a big business that depends on its reputation handles a full-blown crisis. In addition to Conroy,Alex Cramb,a former long-time staffer of Anthony Albanese,is advising the firm,along with former NSW Liberal premier Gladys Berejiklian’s one-time communications chief,Sean Berry,who is working for PwC’s new chief executive,Kristin Stubbins.