CEO: What changes have you seen as Abu Dhabi has
developed?
Krishnamurthi: Abu Dhabi has taken its time in
expanding. The marked difference between it and
Dubai in terms of long-term strategy has clearly
come to the fore of late. Now Abu Dhabi is really
coming into its own – it is coming to fruition. It is
the place to do business right now. Abu Dhabi has the
liquidity and it has the vision. The action is here.
CEO: What kind of businesses are you looking to
attract as clients?
Krishnamurthi: We want small-to-medium
sized enterprises. We know that there is immense
opportunity in this market and SMEs will be an
engine of growth for the diversification of the
economy going forward. We are very well positioned
to act as a partner for these companies in terms of
evaluating the feasibility of their business model
within this marketplace and advising which one
of the legal entities will best suit their model. Of
course, our auditing services are also an essential
tool for companies, not only in order to fulfil their
legal requirements, but to find out financially where
they have been, so they can determine where they
are going. Clients can benefit from our wealth of
experience, not only in Abu Dhabi, but throughout
our independent offices in all of the Emirates.
We want to help our clients develop in the right
direction, because when they grow, we prosper. Our
vision is to grow bigger by expanding our operation
in other Gulf countries and also by partnering with
expert firms specialised in other related activities,
which will enable us cater to the requirements of
large-sized enterprises.
CEO: What advantages can Baker Tilly deliver over
and above that of the big four?
Krishnamurthi: Of course, the main answer is the
most obvious - cost. Baker Tilly MKM is adopting
the standards and methodology formulated by Baker
Tilly International, which is comparable with any of
the other big players.
Our structure allows the client to have direct access
to the senior partners for any advisory requirements.
Our ethics are defined by the high degree of
professionalism that is the hallmark of Baker
Tilly International. Our clients can count on us to
deliver a high degree of expertise and service that
will always be customised to their needs. The rich
and varied knowledge of our partners drawn from
different disciplines, combined with capabilities for
specialised and complex services, enable us to provide
comprehensive end-to-end solutions.
An example to illustrate the point is the fact that
right now, I am conducting a large assignment in IT
consulting outsourced to us by one of the Big 4.
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