Investment in Talent and AI secure Pitcher Partners a top 10 position in AFR accounting firm rankings
Pitcher Partners is investing in its talent strategy, creating unique graduate programs that build skill breadth and depth, while implementing artificial intelligence in a strategic way that enhances client experiences.
In a year of economic uncertainty, Pitcher Partners delivered revenue growth of 7% (on a like for like basis) in the 2025 financial year, retaining ninth place in the Australian Financial Review’s list of Top 100 accounting firms.
The network of six independent firms in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle and Hunter, Sydney and Perth added seven new Partners in 2025, with total staff growth of 1.5%.
Brendan Britten, Pitcher Partners National Chairman, said the network’s steady growth in the face of a challenging market stemmed from its focus on strategic growth opportunities.
“Our firms have delivered steady growth over the past financial year, driven by our commitment to making business personal and delivering impact for existing clients, while focusing on strategic growth opportunities,” Mr Britten said.
“The trust our clients have in us stems from our personalised approach, knowing we are a partner in helping to navigate a complex business world and deliver positive outcomes.”
Pitcher Partners’ graduate intake was 98 in 2025, with the programs continuing to attract high-quality applicants through the focus on professional curiosity, learning and growing together.
“Every year this influx of new energy helps us build capacity and deliver outstanding service across our network, which keeps our people engaged,” he said.
“We know some of the best new ideas come from our graduates, and this investment in the future is a precursor to future success.
“Our employee value proposition is built around the ethos of ‘Lead Your Way’, which provides our graduates, and all our people, with a sense of purpose in building and owning their careers.”
Mr Britten said Pitcher Partners’ commitment to delivering exceptional service includes embedding AI in ways that enhance capabilities and elevate the client experience.
“We have taken a strategic approach to implementing AI, employing it to support our people by speeding up processes, improving service delivery and enriching the client experience,” he said.
“We have invested in internal AI systems to improve productivity, and lift digital awareness, and at the same time we are experimenting with its capabilities around process automation, data extraction and research.
“Using AI as an enabler of our workforce, we do not expect to see any changes to staffing numbers, and we anticipate an uplift in engagement levels as our people are able to do more meaningful work with clients.”
The overall outlook for 2026 remains positive amid mixed business environments across Australia’s states, and Mr Britten said it will be important to stay close to clients to help them succeed.
“Middle market business confidence, as measured in our regular Business Radar reports, remains steady,” he said.
“However, merger and acquisition activity was subdued, and at the mid-point of this year deals were down by about 2%, as measured in our Dealmakers report.”
