KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax and advisory firm, is pleased to announce the appointment of Linda L. Addison as an independent director to its U.S. Board of Directors. Addison is the second distinguished independent director the Firm has announced, joining General (ret.) Janet C. Wolfenbarger, who was appointed in October.
“This is an important change to our governance model, and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to quality, innovative thinking and a values-driven culture,” said Lynne Doughtie, KPMG U.S. Chairman and CEO. “We are very pleased to welcome Linda to our Board, as she brings deep and robust global business experience and expertise to complement our already strong Board of Directors. In this complex business environment, it is critical for our firm to have the benefit of outside perspectives and diverse viewpoints as we continue to evolve our business to meet the needs of our clients and the capital markets well into the future.”
Linda L. Addison is a seasoned and dynamic leader, and a highly sought after advisor and member of corporate and non-profit boards. She is the immediate past U.S. Managing Partner (CEO equivalent) of Norton Rose Fulbright, one of the world’s largest global law firms. For more than three decades, Linda has worked with CEOs, corporate boards, and corporate executives across multiple industry sectors, both regulated and unregulated, including some of the world’s leading multi-national companies. Linda is a global business leader with expertise in compensation, M&A, risk management, regulatory/compliance, technology, governance, and crisis management. She has extensive knowledge of a complex partnership structure and culture like KPMG’s, and brings vast experience defining and implementing a firm’s global strategy and overseeing business operations worldwide.
“I am honored to join the U.S. Board of KPMG, one of the most trusted and renowned audit, tax and advisory firms in the world with a rich 120-year history,” said Addison. “I look forward to working shoulder-to-shoulder with the firm’s leadership to help shape the next 100 years of its history.”
Doughtie added, “We firmly believe that our firm will benefit from taking this bold step to incorporate independent directors prominently into our governance, not merely as outside advisors, but placing them squarely in KPMG’s chain of command to work alongside our leadership team as we continue to build a stronger and better firm.”