In een jaar vol beweging kiezen we bewust voor focus: kwaliteit, ontwikkeling en duurzame waarde. Ons Annual Report 2024 / 2025 laat zien hoe we investeren in kwaliteit en duurzaamheid, en onze mensen. Het verslag brengt de belangrijkste cijfers, resultaten en ontwikkelingen samen in een helder overzicht, dat duidelijk en makkelijk te lezen is. Benieuwd? Lees het hele verslag hier. Hieronder vind je het interview met onze voorzitter van de Raad van Bestuur, Frank Walta.
We sat down with Frank Walta, Chairman of the Executive Board of Forvis Mazars in the Netherlands, to talk about the first year in his new role, the fresh dynamic within the new leadership team, and the direction he believes will help us grow. In this conversation, Frank shares what drives him, how stewardship guides his decisions, and why ESG remains a key topic. He reflects on the culture he hopes to strengthen and how he sees the Forvis Mazars partnership continuing to build an organisation for future generations.
“With an Executive Board that is half new, you simply do not become a well-oiled team overnight. It took time to find our rhythm, especially with two completely new board portfolio’s in the mix. And to top it all off, we have been doing this while ‘keeping the shop open’ and tackling some overdue organisational priorities and challenges.
That is why we engaged professional support to help us grow into a genuinely high-performing team and get the best out of each other. You can already feel the difference in a clearer focus, better alignment and, very tangibly, much more efficient meetings. It has been a full year, but a really encouraging one.”
“The Stellar strategy is actually very simple. Whether you are an accountant, tax adviser or consultant, you need to be the best you can be and deliver quality every single day. That is the foundation. But technical excellence alone is not enough. You need to showcase the same excellence in your collaboration with clients and colleagues. The aim is to build a culture where people choose to work with you, and feel proud to work for you.
If we consistently bring expertise, quality and real relationships together, we succeed – as an organisation and as individuals. That, to me, is the heart of our Stellar strategy.”
“We have made real progress this year. Quality is increasingly part of everyone’s mindset. For me, quality truly belongs to all of us. It’s about integrity and controlled operations across the entire organisation. And we should be aware that we work in a glass house at Forvis Mazars, where transparency defines us, and the trust we add becomes the foundation for decisions made by stakeholders and society. Our relationship with the regulator has become more open and professional.
The real challenge is to stay transparent and to create space where feedback can be given without fear. The power of communication and storytelling should never be underestimated.”
“When people think about ESG, the focus often goes straight to the E of Environment. And although we take our responsibility seriously, looking at travel, cars, clients, procurement and suppliers, it is not the area where we are most distinctive.
Where we do stand out is in the S, the social aspect, both in the Netherlands and globally. This covers how we treat people: education and development, working conditions, mental well-being, equal pay for equal work, and for instance the work of our Purpose & Culture Officer and her team, something we had in place earlier than many other organisations. Our LinkedIn rating as one of the best employers for growth also reflects our strength.
And finally, governance. We certainly play our part in the public debate, but we do not shout about it. For us, good governance is something you show through behaviour. That’s why we stay actively involved in bodies like the NBA, NOB and FAR, contribute to sector conversations such as Busy Season Talks, and work closely with educational institutions to help shape the next generation of professionals.
The biggest challenge is keeping all three elements in balance, while staying true to who we are. And especially in the social domain, we can really make a difference.”
“For me, the biggest ESG challenge is on the social side, especially inclusivity. We already run various programmes, for example to support professionals with a distance to the labour market, but we can and should do more. There is also a broader challenge at the intersection of social and governance: keeping our profession attractive. Technology will continue to reshape what we do, but the human impact remains
essential. That means attracting a broad group of people with the right skills and qualities, and supporting them to build or adapt those skills. If we get this right, it could help renew the profession itself. So the challenge is clear: push harder on genuine inclusion, and ensure that our profession, and Forvis Mazars, remains a place where people want to grow, belong and make an impact.”
“For me, stewardship is fully visible in the long-term choices we make as an organisation. I genuinely believe in our independent partnership model and the choice not to engage in private equity. That choice is about safeguarding the health of our organisation and handing it over to the next generation.
Of course, this may mean we feature less prominently in certain top-10 rankings. But I do not see that as a problem. We are invited by (potential) clients because of our distinctive DNA, the quality of our services and not simply because of a position in a ranking. Clients choose us for our expertise and the value we bring. To me, that is stewardship in practice: focusing on sustainable strength rather than short-term visibility.”
“Funny enough, I clearly remember the worst leadership advice I ever received. It came just before I became CEO. Someone told me to stop spending time on our culture programme and focus on finance. I am very glad I ignored that. I genuinely believe culture is the core.
As for good advice, one of the best tips I got was much simpler: plan your holidays well in advance. It ensures you take proper time off, to re-energise. And the preparation and prospect gives me a boost already. I care about sleep, healthy habits and sport. Leadership started with IQ, expanded to EQ, and now increasingly includes VQ, the vitality that keeps leaders resilient and effective.”
“If I may start with a small note, or even better a personal curiosity or irritation. I would not mind if we stopped spending so much time on lease cars and all the fuss that comes with them. But all jokes aside, what we really should not do is continue serving clients who simply do not fit us. We should always give our best, but if the real match is not there, we must have the courage to step away.
What we should reinforce is our understanding of the role we play in society. We are an important link in the broader system, and both Forvis Mazars and our professionals should feel that every day. The work we do matters and the more we embrace that, the stronger we become.”
In this conversation, Frank outlines an organisation finding itself under new leadership. The Executive Board is settling into its rhythm, driven by a shared ambition to work as a high-performing team. The strategy stays refreshingly simple: master your profession, keep quality high and build relationships that last.
What sets Forvis Mazars apart is the people. Whether the topic is the social side of ESG, inclusivity or our wider role in society, Frank keeps returning to culture, something lived every day and not stored in a slide deck. It is why he values stewardship, long-term thinking and the independence that helps the organisation grow with integrity.
Throughout the interview, one theme rises above the rest: responsibility. For quality, for each other, for clients who fit our values and for the next generation. Forvis Mazars, he notes, isn’t defined by rankings or models, but by a community of people who want to do meaningful work, with pride, purpose and a healthy dose of humanity and not to forget fun.
