BDO's Berson to retire in 2026

BDO USA CEO Wayne Berson will retire effective June 30, 2026, and the firm's national managing principal of tax Matthew Becker has been tapped by the board of directors to succeed him.

Under the Top 10 Firm's CEO succession process, the board of directors selects a candidate and its principal group ratifies the candidate. Berson and Becker will meet with the firm's principals over the next several weeks ahead of the ratification vote, which is expected to take place in July. Once a successor is agreed upon by a majority vote, the board of directors will announce the next CEO, whose term is expected to begin on July 1, 2026.

Berson has served as CEO since 2012. During his tenure, the firm has grown nearly 400% to annual revenues of roughly $3 billion, and he oversaw the firm's transition from a partnership to a corporation and then an ESOP company. He is a member of BDO USA's board of directors and is a chair on BDO International's global board of directors, and will continue to serve on both boards until his retirement. He is also a regular member of Accounting Today's annual listing of the Most Influential People in Accounting.

As national managing principal of tax, Becker oversees the strategy and operations of BDO's tax practice, which includes over 3,500 tax professionals. He is a member of BDO's executive leadership team and a member of BDO International's global tax advisory committee. Becker has also served as chairperson of BDO USA's board of directors.

The firm plans to provide no further updates until the conclusion of the voting process to ensure a "thorough and unbiased evaluation period for BDO"s principal group," according to the release.