Professional services firm KPMG is set to offshore around 200 executive assistant (EA) roles from Australia to the Philippines as part of a cost-reduction strategy expected to save the firm about $17 million annually, according to media reports.
The move affects roughly two per cent of the firm’s nearly 9,000-strong Australian workforce and follows earlier reports in February that the consulting giant was considering relocating EA roles offshore.
According to the Australian media reports, KPMG has partnered with Indian IT services company Coforge to provide the executive assistant services from the Philippines.
Under the new model, the offshore EAs will handle a range of administrative tasks including calendar management, travel bookings, email triage, and client communication. The assistants will operate during Australian business hours and work under the supervision of a designated coordinator who will escalate issues back to the firm and provide regular oversight.
KPMG Australia said the shift forms part of a broader hybrid support structure designed to balance onshore and offshore capabilities while maintaining compliance standards.
“In transition to a hybrid onshore and offshore EA support model, a key design principle was that we meet all contractual, legal and regulatory requirements, including those related to data security and government work,” said Eileen Hoggett, Chief Operating Officer at KPMG Australia. “If the work needs to be done in Australia, it will be done in Australia.”
Employees affected by the changes have been offered options including redeployment within the firm or voluntary redundancy packages that include retraining support and transition assistance.
The move reflects a broader trend among major consulting firms in Australia. Rivals such as PwC, EY, and Deloitte have also expanded offshore support models in recent years, although their approaches to outsourcing and role relocation vary.
Industry observers say offshoring has steadily gained momentum across Australia over the past decade, particularly for operational and support functions. According to outsourcing consultancy KDCI Outsourcing, companies are increasingly turning to offshore and nearshore teams to support areas such as customer experience, IT, finance, engineering, and shared services.
The practice, it noted, is now playing a strategic role across sectors ranging from finance and healthcare to technology, real estate, creative industries, and retail, as organisations seek to scale teams, address talent shortages, and accelerate innovation while managing operational costs.