With WSB, PIA Group is adding an established firm with more than 70 years of experience in tax advisory, audit and business advisory services. WSB primarily serves medium-sized companies and employs around 150 people across six offices in Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and Berlin. The affiliation strengthens PIA Group’s position in the Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region and extends its German presence to Berlin.
“Germany is a key market in Europe,” says Steven Brouckaert, Executive Chairman of PIA Group. “With WSB, we welcome a strong and renowned organisation that fits perfectly with our international growth strategy. We will continue to invest in technology, knowledge and people, and remain committed to our ambition of growing to more than 1,000 staff in Germany by 2027.”
Smids & Schakel strengthens PIA Group’s presence in the Netherlands
With the acquisition of Smids & Schakel Accountants en Adviseurs, PIA Group strengthens its position in Leeuwarden. The full-service firm employs 33 people and supports SMEs in the north of the Netherlands with accountancy, bookkeeping, tax advice, HR & payroll, financial planning and related services. PIA Group is already represented in Leeuwarden by AKSOS and Omnyacc. With Smids & Schakel, three independent PIA Group firms are now active in the city.
Following the acquisition, PIA Group Netherlands grows to 24 entrepreneurial firms, 67 offices and more than 1,700 staff. “Smids & Schakel is a firm with a long history, strong client relationships and a clear identity of its own. Their personal approach, down-to-earth Frisian mentality and diverse team fit well with the way we want to work within PIA Group. We are delighted that, after careful consideration, they have chosen PIA Group,” says Ewout Brouwers, founder of PIA Group Netherlands.
IXO FACTO strengthens PIA Group’s Belgian roots
In Belgium, IXO FACTO strengthens PIA Group’s presence in Walloon Brabant and Brussels. The firm has offices in Dion-le-Val and Ixelles and employs 20 people. IXO FACTO is PIA Group’s 57th member firm in Belgium.
IXO FACTO was formed in 2021 through the merger of two accountancy firms and builds on a history dating back to 1991. “We have grown strongly in recent years. At the same time, we are finding that certain challenges are becoming increasingly difficult to manage on our own,” says Corentin Lepeut, CEO and partner of IXO FACTO. “PIA Group gives us access to additional expertise in artificial intelligence, automation and software choices. This allows us to remain focused on our clients and on the continued development of our services.”
International scale, local strength
Accountancy, advisory and audit are sectors in transition. Digitalisation, artificial intelligence, increasing regulation and the need for specialised expertise are changing the way local firms operate. PIA Group therefore combines international scale with local entrepreneurship.
“What we see in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany is that local firms largely share the same needs,” says Tom Verhaegen, Group CEO of PIA Group. “They want to preserve their identity and client relationships while also being able to invest in technology, expertise and new forms of service. That is exactly the combination PIA Group offers. We therefore look to the continued growth of our group with confidence and welcome new firms that want to work with us to shape the future of accountancy, advisory, audit and broader business services.”
PIA Group’s international development is supported by Baltisse, the family office of the Balcaen entrepreneurial family, which invests in the group’s continued growth with a long-term perspective.
About PIA Group
In a market based on economies of scale, PIA Group aims to become a leading international provider of accountancy, audit and advisory services whilst retaining the personal connection between staff and clients. We therefore drive our growth forward with a continuously expanding group of enterprising partners. The interaction between those partners and our expert teams enables each PIA office to offer entrepreneurs tailored, up-to-date services and expertise that genuinely contribute to their professional success and personal happiness. PIA Group was founded in Belgium in 1999 by Steven Brouckaert. The group operates in Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany, with more than 160 offices and 3,900 staff across these four countries. In 2025, PIA Group’s Benelux operations generated turnover of €440 million.
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Would you like more information about this press release or do you have any questions for Steven Brouckaert, Tom Verhaegen or Ewout Brouwers? Feel free to contact Stefan Knecht, stefan.k@pia.be, +32 495 54 60 82.
