Wayne Berson, who has served as CEO of BDO USA since 2012, is retiring effective June 30, 2026, the Chicago-based top 10 accounting firm said on Thursday.
It’s expected that Matthew Becker, the firm’s national managing principal of tax, will succeed Berson as chief executive, after he was nominated by the BDO USA Board of Directors.
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According to BDO, Berson and Becker will hold a series of meetings with the firm’s principals over the next several weeks before a principal-wide ratification vote is taken, which is expected in July.
Once Berson’s successor is agreed upon by a majority vote of the firm’s principals, the board will announce the next CEO of BDO USA, whose term is expected to begin on July 1, 2026.
Under Berson’s leadership, BDO USA has grown nearly 400% to annual revenues of nearly $3 billion, partly through an aggressive M&A strategy. He oversaw BDO shifting its legal structure from a partnership to a professional services corporation in July 2023, as well as the firm establishing an employee stock ownership plan a month later.
“An ESOP is the realization of our purpose of helping people thrive, every day. It is a game-changer for our people, clients, and communities, designed to improve lives for generations to come,” Berson said in August 2023. “Amid the changing landscape of our profession, the ESOP unlocks the value of our firm today and embodies our strategy to sustain a strong, caring, and resilient business for tomorrow. We are proud to establish this ESOP to invest in each other so everyone who contributes to our success has the opportunity to benefit from it.”
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Before taking the reins as CEO, Berson served as BDO USA’s Atlantic assurance regional managing principal. He is a member of the BDO USA Board of Directors and serves as chair of the Global Board of Directors for BDO International Ltd. A native of South Africa, Berson will continue to serve on both boards until his retirement.
As national managing principal of tax, Becker is responsible for the strategy and operations of BDO’s tax practice in the U.S., leading more than 3,500 tax professionals and serving as a member of BDO’s executive leadership team. He is also a member of BDO International’s Global Tax Advisory Committee, working with BDO tax leaders from around the globe to direct the strategy of BDO International’s tax function.
As a BDO tax principal since 2005, Becker has helped large multinational organizations in diverse industries and high-net-worth individuals from around the world address their complex tax needs, his bio states. He also has vast experience leading the strategic direction and operations of tax practices.
Becker cut his teeth in public accounting at Arthur Andersen from 1997 until 2002, according to his LinkedIn bio.
In a statement on Thursday, BDO USA said, “To ensure a thorough and unbiased evaluation period for BDO’s principal group, no further updates will be provided until the conclusion of the voting process.”
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