Michael Andrew, 54, chairman of KPMG Asia Pacific and also of KPMG Australia, has been elected Chairman of KPMG International.

Mr. Andrew, 54, will lead the KPMG global network of professional services firms providing Audit, Tax, and Advisory services for a four-year term, effective October 1, 2011. He succeeds Timothy P. Flynn, who announced in January that after 32 years with KPMG, he would retire when his term as Global Chairman expired at the end of September 2011.

Michael Andrew will be based in Hong Kong. He was elected to his new role unanimously by KPMG International's Global Board and Council. In his 27 years with KPMG, Andrew has had broad experience in emerging markets, both in Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific, and has been a key driver of the Australian firm's robust growth. In recent times, he has been one of the architects of KPMG's global strategy.

Mr. Andrew said in a statement, "It is a great honor to be elected Chairman of KPMG International. Tim Flynn has provided superb leadership these past four years and I look forward to building on his record of achievement. Under Tim's leadership, KPMG launched an ambitious growth strategy in 2010, and with our strategic blueprint firmly in place it's now about execution and winning in our key markets. I am passionate about KPMG and its capability for growth. Our key strength is the strong collaborative relationships KPMG member firms have with their clients. My primary focus will be developing and empowering our people so they can execute on our strategy and help KPMG's clients succeed in this increasingly complex world."

KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax, and Advisory services. It operates in 150 countries and have 138,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative, a Swiss entity. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.

Mr. Andrew is Chairman of KPMG Asia Pacific and Australian Chairman of KPMG since 2007, and is a member of KPMG's International Board and Global Executive Team. Previously, he served six years as Managing Partner of KPMG Australia's Melbourne office and Deputy Chair of KPMG Australia from 2001-2007. He was Managing Partner of KPMG Australia's Tax Practice from 1997 to 2001.
Mr. Andrew was appointed Chairman of the ASPAC Region in April 2011. He was previously Chairman of the ASPAC Nominations and Remunerations Committee and a Board member since 2007. He was the ASPAC Tax Chairman from 1995 to 1997, was a member of Project Japan from 1985 to 2001, and is Chairman of the Korea Advisory Committee.

Mr. Andrew is a also member of the Business Council of Australia, Chairman of the Dowd Foundation, Chairman of the Business Working with Education Foundation, a Council member of the Australian Business Arts Foundation, the Olivia Newton John Cancer Centre Appeal, and the Prostate Cancer Foundation.