History

In 2020, GGI managed to run a couple of events in Zürich and Frankfurt before having to quickly adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. While all conferences and personal meetings had to be postponed or cancelled from March onwards, we hosted over 60 webinars, as well as a World Conference Online. GGI upheld its position in Accountancy Age's Survey of Networks, Alliances and Associations: ranking #2 in the list of Associations and Alliances worldwide, and #1 as the largest multi-disciplinary association.

GGI continues to grow. Following in the footsteps of our successful Practice Groups, GGI Industry Groups were launched this year during the North American Regional Conference in Houston. Our global M&A network, Geneva Capital Group (GCG), featured extensively in the Refinitiv and MergerMarket global League Tables, achieving important positions in the Mid-Market and Small-Cap regional and global rankings.

2018 was a year of strategic growth for GGI, which featured the addition of new member firms from key locations worldwide in both the accounting and legal profession. GGI also consolidated its special focus on M&A deal-making and Management Consulting services, particularly developed via the GCG special units, respectively Geneva Capital Group (www.gcg.com) and Geneva Consulting Group (www.gcg.org). Whilst being still recognised as one of the top global alliances worldwide with presence in 124 countries, GGI keeps personal and direct relationships with its members around the world by working together on the growing practice groups, and by organising successful events featuring modern tools to enhance networking activities between members.

2017 was a special year for GGI Founder and Chairman Claudio G. Cocca and the Global CEO Michael Reiss von Fliski, as they were awarded the US President's Lifetime Achievement Award. The 2017 edition of the highly acclaimed Global Village programme took place at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, USA. GGI participants were invited to Lehigh to join a group of Global Village alumni and 25 Mandela Washington Fellows in June with outstanding results. GGI Practice Group M&A launched the M&A Global Digest, composed by GGI member J. Lee Lloyd. In December 2017 Claudio G. Cocca has been nominated as a member of the Board of Directors and president of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich A v Hayek Institute in Vienna, Austria.

2016 was a wonderful year for GGI, with great growth in the Australasian region, prompting the inaugural GGI NZ Business Summit in Auckland, New Zealand. GGI was also ranked amongst the top ten Networks and Associations in the world, and to further jubilation as GGI was also announced as the number one in the Accountancy Age Top 20 International alliances and associations.

2015 is set to be a particularly special year for GGI with its 20th anniversary imminent. This important milestone in GGI’s history is celebrated with members during this year ’s events. Practice Groups have always formed an important part within GGI – this year online elections for all Global Leadership Teams of Practice Groups are implemented GGI is founding member of The Association of International Law Firm Networks (AILFN), which is launched officially on 4 October 2015 at the IBA Annual Conference in Vienna. Latest figures in the 2015 Network Survey by Accountancy Age, list GGI as number one in the list of Associations and Alliances worldwide and sixth overall (including networks). The most recent survey of international networks and associations carried out by Accountancy Magazine, based in London, places GGI | Geneva Group International (www.ggi.com) firmly in sixth place in the world.

GGI is constantly expanding and secures firm positioning in world rankings. The first GGI Middle East African (MEA) Regional Conference takes place in Cape Town, South Africa.

GGI has been accepted as a full member of the European Group of International Accounting Networks and Associations (EGIAN), www.egian.eu, which is the representative group for twenty four of the largest International Accounting Networks and Associations outside the Big 4. GGI’s first Nordic-Baltic meeting takes place in Stockholm, Sweden. The first Italian Business Summit is held in Rome, Italy.

The North American region experiences rapid ongoing growth within GGI and for this reason a regional office is opened in Boston in September. Adam Crowson is appointed as regional Manager. The North American Regional Council will be established, acting as an advisory body to GGI management to help shape and determine the local needs of this region. The first North American EasyMeet takes place in September. Further Regional Councils will be established in October for the regions Asia / Pacific and Latin America. The intention of these councils is to gain insight into local market trends and exchange information to find better approaches and solutions to region-specific issues. By establishing these councils, GGI is able to create a forum comprised of local authorities throughout the regions to identify issues relevant to specific professional areas. These councils are another stepping stone to support the growing organisation of GGI.

GGI is ranked sixth in the world including the Big Four. The first GGI North American Regional Conference takes place in October. GGI has created the GGI Excellency Awards to recognize GGI members that are prominent in particular areas of practice and excellence within the GGI community. In addition, the Excellency Award for Exceptional Services has been introduced which is intended for non-GGI members.

The Asian region is growing continuously; the first GGI Asian Regional Conference is organised in Bali.

GGI is ranked the seventh largest alliance including the Big Four, by Accountancy Magazine in London, the official publication of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. GGI is the only genuine Swiss alliance operating at international top-ten level.

GGI is also keen to integrate the next generation more firmly in the alliance, and decides to introduce a new type of event. The first GGI EasyMeet for juniors and associates takes place in April 2006 in Berlin. The participants work on case studies and exchange ideas on current issues. GGI has grown to become the world's largest multidisciplinary alliance that includes law firms, accounting firms and management consulting firms offering professional services. In 2005 and 2006 GGI was ranked by Accountancy Magazine the eight largest alliance of accounting associations and networks worldwide including the Big Four.

Merger with Lawspan International (LSI), an association of 28 independent law firms throughout the world.The alliance grows continuously, and GGI establishes the first practice groups, in which firms from different countries exchange information on professional topics and work on joint projects

Following the formation of the Latin American region, an additional region will now also be established within GGI: Middle East / Asia / Africa. Peter Kaeser has been appointed Regional Manager, and his regional office will be based in Dubai.

Latin America is becoming increasingly important for GGI and is being launched as a separate GGI region. The Regional Manager of this region will be Dr. Miguel Mantelli, with the regional office opening in Buenos Aires.

GGI members urge the management of the alliance to accept law firms and consulting firms as members of GGI, in order to handle more complex joint transactions and thereby turn GGI into a truly multidisciplinary alliance. The fact that GGI is a Swiss company and that the contractual relationship between a member firm and GGI is based on the “cooperation agreement”, which in technical terms is a service and trademark agreement, is very helpful in terms of grouping together law firms, accounting firms and consulting firms in one organisation. National legislation does not always allow accounting firms and law firms to be part of the same association; however, GGI is not an association and therefore the multidisciplinary path is open.

Claudio G. Cocca, co-partner of an Accounting and Tax Consulting Firm in Switzerland, works intensively with foreign tax consultants and accountants. He is continually confronted with the task of finding high-quality partners with whom to work successfully in order to serve his clients in the best possible way. As a result of this need, he founded the GGI Geneva Group International AG in April 1995, as an international alliance for tax consultants and accountants. In order to avoid the inefficiency of managing an association, GGI was set up as a limited company in Switzerland, registering the trademark “Geneva Group International” in the relevant classes.