Belgian PIA Group Expands into Germany

“Germany is a key market in Europe. We are entering as an established international audit, tax, and legal advisory group that has consistently invested in technology, knowledge, and people for more than ten years. Our goal is to expand nationwide to more than 1,000 employees by 2027,” says Steven Brouckaert, Founder and Chairman of PIA Group.

For PIA Group, North Rhine-Westphalia represents the strategic entry point into Germany, partly due to its proximity to the Benelux region. Another key factor is securing LADM, a highly regarded regional firm, as a founding partner for this important step into the German market. The partnership aligns with the group’s international growth strategy, which focuses on sustainable expansion through a combination of local entrepreneurship and international scalability.

LADM Retains Independence While Benefiting from an International Platform

LADM is an established audit and tax advisory firm. As a mid-sized partnership with 130 qualified professionals, it serves clients across five locations in North Rhine-Westphalia. The firm primarily advises mid-sized companies, offering integrated tax and audit services, and is known for its personal approach and strong regional presence. By joining PIA Group, LADM aims to accelerate its development while preserving its regional identity.

“As part of our strategic direction, we aim to achieve market leadership in cross-border advisory between Germany and the Netherlands, particularly in the Lower Rhine region, together with PIA Group. PIA Group is the ideal partner, sharing our understanding of the needs of mid-sized clients and the importance of strong regional roots,” says Klaus Aymans, Partner at LADM.

Further operational benefits for LADM include access to international expertise, investments in technology, and group-wide resources that will support the continued expansion of its service offering.

The partnership also opens up new opportunities for employees, including additional training programs, international career prospects, greater specialization options, and enhanced professional exchange within the global group.

International Group with a Strong Focus on Mid-Sized Businesses

Founded in 2012, PIA Group has experienced strong growth, most recently reaching over €500 million in revenue. In the Benelux region, more than 3,500 employees now serve clients across over 150 locations, many of whom are mid-sized and family-owned businesses. Firms joining PIA Group retain their local identity while benefiting from the group’s substantial investments in technology, knowledge, and people.

“We only partner with firms that value the balance between the advantages of being part of a larger group and preserving their regional DNA and entrepreneurial spirit,” says Steven Brouckaert.

He co-founded the group with Ewout Brouwers, and both continue to lead it today. They bring extensive experience as tax advisors, auditors, and managing directors of their own mid-sized family firms in Belgium and the Netherlands. Since 2019, PIA Group has been supported by Baltisse, the single-family office of the Balcaen entrepreneurial family, which focuses on long-term investments and sustainable growth.

Responding to Structural Challenges in the Industry

The audit and tax advisory sector is undergoing significant transformation. Increasing investments in digitalization, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, alongside rising regulatory requirements and a shortage of skilled professionals, are shaping the market.

PIA Group addresses these challenges through international collaboration, shared data and technology platforms, and group-wide training programs, enabling local firms to remain competitive. At the same time, partner firms retain their entrepreneurial independence and continue to operate under their own brand names.

“Scale will become increasingly important for the future of our industry. At the same time, we must not lose sight of the mid-sized nature of our clients,” says Ewout Brouwers. “We see ourselves as a fleet of speedboats – each firm operating entrepreneurially, but all moving in the same direction as one group.”

About PIA Group

PIA Group combines international scale with strong regional roots and an entrepreneurial culture. Since its founding in 2012 by Steven Brouckaert, the group has developed into an international organization with activities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Germany.

Today, PIA Group includes more than 75 local firms across over 150 locations, employing more than 3,500 people and generating annual revenues of approximately €500 million. The group provides a full range of services in audit, tax, and legal advisory.

Ownership is shared between local PIA partners and Baltisse, the family office of the Balcaen entrepreneurial family. The group follows a long-term investment strategy. Under its “Local Lead” model, firms retain their name, autonomy, and local management while benefiting from centralized expertise, technological investments, and international economies of scale.

For more information about this press release, please contact our media team at media@piagroup.company or by phone at Oliver Lossius (+49 162 7611279).