Britain's top accountants at risk

ANDERSEN is one of the world's five leading accounting firms, providing a range of financial advice to conglomerates around the globe. But its once-proud name is being dragged through the mud by the Enron scandal, threatening the careers of many of the UK profession's brightest and most senior figures.

The group is led in the UK by John Ormerod, who earns well over £1m a year as managing partner. Chris Rowlands and David Sproul complete the firm's ruling triumvirate, making almost £1m a year each.

Those heading Andersen's various divisions, such as tax and consulting, are understood to get salaries approaching £1m.

Ormerod, 53, joined Andersen in 1970 after graduating from Oxford University when the firm was still tiny in the UK. After being elected to the partnership in 1981, his finest hour came when he was chosen to lead the firm into a new era in March last year. Described as understated, intellectual and slick, the father of four has tried to keep the London office out of the spotlight. He told the BBC in an interview: 'This is an event that's happened in North America. I'm responsible for Andersen in the UK.' Andersen's partners are traditionally seen as better paid than their peers in the other 'Big Five' accounting groups.

The industry is extremely lucrative for those granted partnership status, thanks partly to the practice of 'charging out' junior staff as young as 23 to clients at about £150 an hour. These staff, often straight out of university, are paid as little as £12 an hour themselves.