Local accounting firm UHY Dawgen has merged with Crowe Horwath International creating what is now dubbed Jamaica’s newest member of the top 10 global professional services network.

It’s an initiative that will see the newly rebranded firm, Crowe Horwath Jamaica, employing another 35 people by year end as it seeks to increase its ability to compete in the global marketplace, while further embracing local small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) seeking to do business internationally.

“We have created a new programme called SME 75, where we have a product for the smallest businesses in this country. Normally for firms of our size, the perception is that people cannot afford our services and that’s not so.

“How it works is that the smallest company now in Jamaica might have up to five employees and they might be doing 75 transactions per month. All they will be paying is $6,200 per month, including tax returns, which will increase their chances of being guaranteed a loan from the financial institutions,” managing partner of Crowe Horwath Jamaica, Dawkins Brown, told the

Jamaica Observer at the launch of the new brand on Thursday.

The event was held at the Marriott Courtyard in New Kingston.

The new programme will assist SME with general accounting procedures, tax planning, contract reviews. Crowe Horwath Jamaica is also expanding its SMEs services to assist individuals looking to expand their business internationally.

“You have many small business operators hoping to expand their operation overseas. We will provide the services of finding the right location, the partners for the business and so on to ensure the success of that Jamaican company,” he said.

Aside from providing greater efficiencies for SMEs, Brown told Sunday Finance that the decision to merge operations with Crowe Horwath International will also allow the company to expand its services to include information technology audit, international taxation, risk and legal advisories.

“Over the last two years Jamaica has seen an increase in cyber crimes and we had new legislations passed such as the Anti-Money Laundering and the Proceeds of Crime Act. To effectively comply with those legislations the organisation needs support, and Crowe has turnkey softwares that will immediately provide those monitoring internal services,” he said.

He added that the merger is also important for Jamaica’s threat of de-risking and correspondence banking.

“This is as a result of the international community and the technical support for cyber breaches and money laundering is not that forceful even though we have reached far. So we see a gap there and we are going to tap into that gap,” Brown continued.

“We will be embracing all risk services. Our US member firm has great capability and that’s what they are transferring here.”

Currently, Crowe Horwath International says it is ranked among the top 10 global accounting networks with more than 200 independent accounting and advisory services firms in more than 130 countries. The international firm members are known for personal service to privately and publicly held businesses in all sectors, and have built an international reputation in the areas of audit, tax and advisory services.

With plans underway to expand its footprint into Caribbean markets, Crowe Horwath Jamaica expects to see an increase of 35 per cent in its customer base over the next 12 months.

With locations in Kingston, Runaway Bay, Mandeville and Montego Bay, Dawgen adds to the strength of Crowe Horwath International’s presence in the Caribbean.

UHY Dawgen was established in 2002 and in 2013 merged with Paul Goldson and Co, placing the firm in the top five local audit and professional services firms among PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte and Touche and KPMG. The firm currently has more than 90 staff members.

“We are excited to have a firm of Dawgen’s talent and capabilities join our network. The addition of Dawgen expands our network’s representation across the Americas and in the Caribbean market,” Chief Executive Officer of Crowe Horwath International J Kevin McGrath said via news release. “We look forward to having the professionals of Dawgen serve as a source of value for the clients of our network.”