LADM: a regional founding partner for PIA Group Germany
LADM is an established name in North Rhine‑Westphalia and offers integrated services to SME entrepreneurs in the field of accountancy, audit and tax. The firm is known for its personal approach, technical expertise and strong regional roots. With LADM, PIA Group has found a renowned regional founding partner for this important entry into the German market. It is a shared ambition to become the market leader in cross‑border advisory services in the Lower Rhine region. The collaboration with LADM aligns with PIA Group’s international growth strategy, which focuses on sustainable expansion through a combination of local entrepreneurship and international scale. The objective is to expand across Germany to more than 1,000 employees by 2027.
International scale, local strength
For LADM, joining the PIA Group is a deliberate choice to pursue further growth, professionalisation and technological reinforcement, without giving up its autonomy. “In PIA Group we see an organisation which, like us, believes in local engagement, entrepreneurship and quality,” says Klaus Aymans, partner at LADM. “And at the same time, PIA Group provides the scale, international expertise and technological investment needed to specialise and future‑proof our services in a rapidly changing accountancy and advisory market.”
Preserving our DNA as the foundation for international growth
With LADM joining, PIA Group’s international workforce will grow to nearly 3,500 employees. However, this growth doesn't change the organisation’s foundation, i.e. preserving the regional DNA of the firms that become part of PIA Group. “'If it ain't broke don't fix it' remains our basic principle,” underlines Steven Brouckaert. “The firms that join us have grown thanks to their own vision, culture and approach and we won’t interfere with that. In fact, we support them so they can strengthen and expand their entrepreneurship even further.” This model, local leadership combined with international scale, has become a recognised way of responding to the consolidation trend in the sector across the Benelux. LADM confirms that the German market also recognises the need for an alternative to traditional takeovers, where firms are often absorbed entirely into a larger group.
Focus on SME entrepreneurs
PIA Group's focus is clearly on SME entrepreneurs, known in Germany as the Mittelstand. “An SME entrepreneur receives personalised advice from trusted advisers in our offices, supported by the data, knowledge and international expertise of a larger group,” says Tom Verhaegen, Group CEO of PIA Group. “PIA Group has no ambition to become a Big Four organisation with corporate processes or detached governance structures. We want to be the most entrepreneurial and tech‑enabled partner for SME entrepreneurs by building together. PIA Group's strength lies in combining entrepreneurship and scale.”
Technology as the engine for future services
Technology is playing an increasingly important role in PIA Group’s strategy, alongside entrepreneurship and scale. The group is investing internationally in digital platforms, data analysis and AI applications that support local offices in their services. The further automation of repetitive processes and better use of financial data gives advisers more space to provide strategic guidance to entrepreneurs. According to Benjamin Biesmans, Investment Director at Baltisse, Filip Balcaen's family office which supports PIA Group in its growth, this technological component is essential for the sector’s continuing development. “The accountancy sector is evolving rapidly under the influence of digitalisation and AI. Firms that invest in technology and data today will have a clear head start in terms of advisory quality and efficiency. By organising these investments at group level, local offices can benefit directly without losing their identity.”
About PIA Group
In a market based on economies of scale, PIA Group aims to be a leading international provider of accountancy, audit and advisory services whilst retaining a personal connection between its staff and clients. We therefore drive our growth forward with a continuously expanding group of enterprising partners. The mutual interaction between those partners and our expert teams enables each PIA office to offer entrepreneurs tailored up-to-date services and expertise that genuinely contribute to their professional success and personal happiness.
PIA Group was founded in Belgium in 2012 by Steven Brouckaert. The group operates in the Benelux and Germany, with a total of more than 150 sites and 3,500 staff across these four countries. In 2026, PIA Group achieved a revenue of more than €500 million in the Benelux.
www.piagroup.company
www.piagroupgermany.de
https://ladm.com
