Five things to know about new KPMG India chief Arun M Kumar

Former US government official Arun M Kumar has been picked by KPMG India as its new chairman and CEO. Kumar's five year tenure at the leading professional services firm and one of the big 4 auditors, began on Sunday.  

We look at five things to know about the key appointment.

• The new KPMG India chief succeeds Richard Rekhy. Prior to this, Kumar had served as assistant secretary of commerce for global markets and director general of the US and foreign commercial service in the administration of former US President Barack Obama.
• On behalf of the American government, Kumar also worked to strengthen commercial ties between India and the US, played a key role in establishing the India-US strategic and commercial dialogue and a renewed India-US CEO forum, the company said in a release.
• Kumar was elected by the KPMG India Board and ratified by the India partners. He has also served KPMG US and KPMG Americas Boards from 2008-2013. "I have worked closely with the people of KPMG India for many years and have always been impressed by their world-class talent," Kumar said.
• KPMG India has seen its workforce double over the last four years. It has around 11,000 staff and in recent times the company has seen the attrition of various partners.
• In November last year, the company announced that Rekhy was planning to retire and would continue till a successor is found. "The firm executed a well-defined governance process for the selection of the CEO that aligns with the objective of building on its success as well as attracting the best talent available for this role," the release said.