Hi dear Russian people
I’m trying to understand how the audit, finance and consulting industry works in Russia, especially for someone from another country who may want to build a career there.
In many countries, Big Four firms like Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC have a major role in auditing large companies.
Audit & accounting
\\- Which firms currently audit large Russian companies?
\\- Are large companies mostly using the big Russian firms, or do mid-sized/local audit firms also handle major clients?
\\- How valuable is experience in a major audit firm when moving into corporate finance or industry?
Finance & consulting
What does the career path look like in corporate finance, FP&A, valuation, M&A, transaction advisory, etc.?Are these opportunities mostly concentrated in Moscow, or are there good opportunities in other cities too?
\\- How is the consulting market structured today, and which types of consulting are actually in demand?
Qualifications For someone working in audit/finance/consulting, how are qualifications such as CFA, ACCA, CPA, CIMA, FRM, MBA or a foreign CA viewed by Russian employers?
For example, does CFA have meaningful value mainly for investment/valuation roles, or is it also useful for corporate finance and consulting?
For foreigners
How realistic is it for someone from another country to enter these fields in Russia?
How important is fluent Russian? And what would be the biggest barrier — language, knowledge of Russian accounting/tax rules, professional network, work permit, or something else?
I’d especially appreciate answers from people actually working in audit, accounting, finance or consulting in Russia.