GHENT, 3 APRIL 2023 – PIA Group continues its acquisition wave of accountancy firms. The 3rd largest accountancy and advisory group in Belgium has taken over another Antwerp-based firm. Van Looy Accountants has offices in Ekeren and Turnhout. PIA Group now has as many as 10 member firms in the province of Antwerp. On a Belgian national level, it has nearly 50. And its expansion is nowhere near over yet. "We find that more and more forward-looking accountants are open to our unique combination of economies of scale and local strength," Steven Brouckaert, founder and chairman of PIA Group, says.
Erik and Bart: a rock-solid business duo
The story of Van Looy Accountants began in the 1970s when secondary school teacher Fons Van Looy set up a one-man accounting firm in his attic room in Merksem. Since those humble beginnings, Van Looy Accountants has grown into a leading accountancy and advisory firm in the Antwerp region with 2 offices, one in Ekeren and one in Turnhout. The firm has more than 40 employees who give their best every day to their fast-growing client base, which is largely made up of SMEs.
The day-to-day management of Van Looy Accountants is in the hands of founder Fons Van Looy's son, Erik, and Bart Sommen. They met after working for KPMG and Deloitte, respectively. As they got talking to each other, they found they had the same opinions about many aspects that make the perfect accountancy firm, such as its business pillars, values and the importance of people. A collaboration was the next logical step and a rock-solid business duo was born, resulting in Van Looy Accountants' impressive growth.
Why only PIA Group was considered
Today, the duo is joining forces with PIA Group, and that is no coincidence. "We wanted to keep on growing, so there were really only two options," Erik Van Looy says. "Either we could do it on our own, or we could join PIA Group. We went for the second option. We believe the support of a larger group will help us to stay focused and accelerate. At the same time, Van Looy Accountants also wants to keep its own identity. That made our choice an easy one: PIA Group is the only accountancy group that respects a firm's DNA after an acquisition. That is why we didn't have any discussions with other groups."
PIA Group doesn't alter a firm's local strengths
Steven Brouckaert, founder and chairman of PIA Group, confirms that respect for a firm's DNA: "We deliberately take a different approach than other groups in that respect. Our substantial organisation offers accounting firms efficient support in many areas. Together, we look at where their support needs lie in terms of operations, IT, digitalisation, finance, marketing and advisory. At the same time, PIA Group also strongly believes in the If it ain't broke, don't fix it adage. We specifically don't want to change the strengths of a firm's own local approach. Those strengths are at the heart of our partners' entrepreneurship. And we really want to encourage that business drive as it is crucial to PIA Group's organic growth."
A shared people-centred approach
So what exactly is in Van Looy Accountants' DNA? Bart Sommen: "The people-centred aspect is at the heart of everything we do. Consequently, we spend a lot more time on client guidance than our peers. Every quarter, we provide them with a business plan that includes a budget and explanatory notes, which we also discuss live regularly. That allows us to be much more proactive in our contributions. We have found that SMEs are not used to that, but they appreciate it immensely." Nathalie Calle, CEO of PIA Group, continues. "When Bart and Erik started talking about their quarterly business plans, I immediately knew we were talking to the right people. PIA Group sees an acquisition as much more than a financial transaction. A match of values is just as important in our collaboration. Our provision of a business plan is one of the ways we put the PIA slogan Advice closer to you into practice."
The same people-centred approach is also apparent in how Van Looy Accountants finds, attracts and retains employees. "This is not the Great Bart & Erik Show," Erik explains. "We give people a lot of responsibility. We want to offer a challenging working environment that has room for personal input and development.
Supporting growth
Van Looy Accountants is counting on PIA Group to support its organic growth. At the same time, Erik Van Looy and Bart Sommen are also looking for new collaborations with colleagues. Steven Brouckaert confirms that he, Nathalie Calle and the Management Team are ready to help them in that regard. "This further illustrates PIA Group's true belief in the entrepreneurship of its firms and its commitment to encouraging that entrepreneurship. Thanks to that cumulative local business drive, we can make a difference in the market on an ever larger and more comprehensive scale. We find that a growing group of forward-looking accountants are open to PIA Group's proposition. This is illustrated by the increasing number of encouraging meetings we are having. And yes, there are plenty of acquisitions to come."
For more information on this press release, contact Steven Brouckaert at steven@pia.be
About PIA Group
In a market based on economies of scale, PIA Group aims to be a leading provider of accountancy and advisory services whilst retaining the personal connection between its staff and clients. We therefore drive our growth forward with continuously expanding partnerships with enterprising associates. The mutual interaction between those partners and our expert teams enables each PIA firm to offer entrepreneurs and individuals up-to-date services and expertise that really contribute to their professional success and personal happiness. PIA Group was founded in 2012 by Steven Brouckaert. The group's nearly 50 firms and more than 900 employees operate in Belgium and the Netherlands.
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