Firm History
It has been more than 150 years since William Welch Deloitte opened his own accountancy office across the street from Bankruptcy Court on Basinghall Street in London.
In Jamaica, Deloitte & Touche was founded as Heron & Thorburn in 1949 and became a member firm of Touche Ross International in 1960, as Touche Ross Bailey and Smart International. Our Montego Bay branch was opened in 1954. Following the international merger between the two "big eight" firms Deloitte, Haskins & Sells and Touche Ross, in 1989, the international name became Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, and our local name became Deloitte & Touche in 1991. Our management services firm practices in the name of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
In 2003 the global organisation announced the launch of the new brand name “Deloitte.” The change means that the firms known in various national and global markets as Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu and Deloitte & Touche, while retaining their local legal names, will now be known by the brand “Deloitte”. Our professionals are actively involved in the affairs of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica (ICAJ), serving various committees. The current managing partner was a former President of the ICAJ, and one of the other partners is a Council member. Six of our present and former partners have served as presidents of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica.
The firm is represented in the following committees:
• Accounting Standards
• Auditing Standards
• Taxation
• Continuing Professional Education
• Company Law Reform
• Bye-Laws & Handbook.
Two former partners are available to the firm in a consultative capacity.
Professional activities
The firm has been in the forefront of the development of the accounting profession in Jamaica. It has played leading roles in:
• the formation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Jamaica
• the enactment of the Public Accountancy Act
• the introduction at the University of the West Indies of the B.Sc. (Econ.) degree course with Higher Accountancy
• the introduction of the M.Sc. (Accounting) degree course at the University of the West Indies and the employment of M.Sc. (Accounting) graduates.