Interim CEO Stan Stavros described the departures as a necessary step to address failures in meeting professional standards. The scandal centers on claims that KPMG misused board papers from real estate firm Lendlease to gain an advantage in competitive audit tenders. Partners Paul Rogers and Eileen Hoggett, both named by a whistleblower as central figures in the Lendlease matter, are currently under investigation by Australia’s corporate regulator.

Beyond the Lendlease case, the firm faces broader accusations of ethical breaches. During a recent parliamentary hearing, Sheppard admitted that staff had shared sensitive information regarding Optus with a team bidding for a contract with rival Telstra. The admission followed intense criticism of Sheppard’s initial refusal to provide the committee with internal documents, a stance he later reversed. To navigate the crisis, KPMG plans to appoint an independent chair and add external members to its board, initiating a comprehensive review of its internal sanctioning processes to restore institutional trust.