PIA Group gains a foothold in the Dender region with the acquisition of B&A Advies.

The story of B&A Advies and founder Wouter Devloo, who is exchanging the shares of his office for PIA Group shares today, starts in 2009. From day one, the office targets SMEs, IT companies, management companies and doctors. Their customer-oriented approach has resulted in rapid growth. Today, the original six-strong team has swelled to a tight-knit group of 20, spread across the two branches in Meerbeke and Aalst and an appointment office in Ghent. “One of the pillars of our success, in addition to excellent accounting work and transparent advice, is good communication”, says Wouter Devloo. “Our customers receive a report on a regular basis that gives them an insight into the evolution of their business and that forms the basis for a discussion about what comes next. This way we make an active contribution to our customers’ growth.”

It is no coincidence that B&A Advies has opted for PIA Group. The Ghent-based group guarantees its new members that they can retain their individual character. This is not just limited to keeping their name. “Our motto in acquiring new branches is Don’t fix what isn’t broken”, says Steven Brouckaert. “The way of working and specialities also remain the same. In PIA Group’s philosophy, local strength and benefits of scale go hand in hand. At some point, their customers and employees opted for a certain DNA. We not only respect the individuality of every branch but we also enhance it through supporting shared services, such as HR and IT. This frees up additional time to focus on what matters the most: their customers. In other words, joining PIA Group means a more extensive personalised service without compromising on quality.”

When asked about the reasons why B&A Advies felt this was the time to join a group, Wouter Devloo gives a straightforward answer: “The accounting profession is becoming increasingly complex. The legal framework is constantly changing, the range of tasks is expanding and the digital transformation is proceeding at a breakneck pace. That’s a lot of challenges for a medium-sized accountancy firm like ours. As a member of a group you’re much better equipped to meet those challenges. I had already had some informal talks with several groups when I read a newspaper interview with Steven Brouckaert. The approach of PIA Group whereby the DNA of the member offices are respected, appealed to me. As the discussions progressed, I got a better feel for the added value the people of PIA Group could deliver, for instance when choosing a new tool or the implementation of regulations. I’m looking forward to further optimising the service of B&A Advies in conjunction with PIA Group.”

B&A Advies has little staff turnover and a strong and consistent team. “That was something we noticed as soon as we started discussions with Wouter Devloo”, says Nathalie Calle, CEO of PIA Group Belgium. “Many team members started at B&A Advies as an intern or made a conscious choice to join this office following an initial work experience. They feel at home here and they appreciate not only the excellent work atmosphere and the healthy work-life balance but also the work method and the customer-oriented approach. I’m confident that the collaboration with PIA Group will add extra dimensions in terms of job satisfaction, such as more training possibilities and additional opportunities for advancement.” B&A Advies is the 9th accountancy firm to join PIA Group in 2025 and it will definitely not be the last. Steve Brouckaert is already engaged in discussions with new interested parties on both sides of the linguistic divide.

 

PIA Group: www.pia.be

B&A Advies: www.boekhouder.be

 

For more details on this press release feel free to contact Stefan Knecht, stefan.k@pia.be, +32 495 54 60 82.