Deloitte is a name well-known in the business world, with its beginnings 178 years ago in London, England. Today, Deloitte is the largest professional services network on earth—the biggest of the “Big Four” firms.
Deloitte operates in six of the seven continents as well as here in Saskatchewan with offices in both Regina and Saskatoon. So, what does Deloitte bring to the table for Saskatchewan business? As it turns out, a lot.
L to R: Val Watson, Andrea Volk, Tina Beaudry-Mellor, and David Belof. Photo by Mark Greschner.
David Belof is the new Managing Partner for Saskatchewan in Deloitte’s Regina office and has been with Deloitte for seven years. He sees what Deloitte does every day in Saskatchewan, and the impact it has. “Many people know us as the ‘big accounting firm’ but it’s so much more than that,” he says. “We are proud of our accounting roots and committed to maintaining that global expertise. But we want people to realize that we are the place business can go for just about everything.” Whether you’re heading a small company that is looking to grow, or part of a big operation with a diverse set of needs, there’s a Deloitte team that can help.
Deloitte provides audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Deloitte serves four out of five Fortune Global 500® companies through a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories bringing world-class capabilities, insights and service to address clients’ most complex business challenges.
Window on the world
Orion Lovequist, Manager of Financial Advisory, says that the Deloitte difference comes from its global expertise that can be applied in even the smallest of circumstances. His days are spent doing work across the spectrum, helping clients with everything from valuations to purchase price allocations, financial modelling to mergers and acquisitions. It’s the diverse nature of the work that creates value for Deloitte’s Saskatchewan clients. “The global resources we can access are incredible,” says Lovequist. “Not only can we serve the local marketplace because we know it well, but we can also reach out to our teams around the world for any exceptional circumstances that may show up.”
Heads together
Ionie Green is Deloitte’s Senior Manager for Audit and Assurance in Regina, and she also sees how responsive the firm is as the marketplace changes. “Our work includes keeping tabs on what is happening in the broader business world and how that can impact our clients,” says Green. “Saskatchewan is unique in that it is home to so many small businesses, not-for-profits and startups. We’re here to ensure that those organizations are making the best decisions now and for future.”
Like Lovequist, she sees the value that Deloitte’s size brings to a small market like our province. “On occasion, some things we’re approached with are bigger or different than our day-to-day experience. However, we have access to experts across the country and around the world that can provide the perspective and advice our clients need.”
Set apart
Beyond its global presence, Deloitte’s biggest asset is its people according to Green. “Our rich culture that puts people first is our difference,” she says. “Because we’re so diverse in our skills, there’s no need to navigate a problem alone. We’re here for each other, and in turn, for our clients.”
Lovequist agrees. “We’re here to ask the right questions and find the right answers. It may sound like a cliché, but the idea of a ‘one stop shop’ for business is what we are.”
Getting ahead
With their experience working closely with Saskatchewan business, the Deloitte team has some advice to share.
For Green, it all comes down to people and investing in talent. “When I moved here, there was so much concern about young people leaving,” she says. “I can’t stress enough how important it is for businesses and organizations to invest in their people. When you put in the time to cultivate your team, it pays off long-term. When people are engaged, they are energized to do their best work.”
Lovequist sees the evidence of investing in people in his own work. “At Deloitte, we get the chance to touch many opportunities. In larger places, you’re often specialized in one type of work. Here, I can do a valuation in the morning and be assisting a different service line in the afternoon,” he says. “It’s that mix of experience that builds solid, skilled teams. If you can let your people try new things and get new experiences, do it. It’s a major benefit to them and your bottom line.”
Big skies, big ideas
Deloitte is also more than a service provider to clients—it’s also a champion for the province it calls home. The firm prides itself on getting to know the people and the communities it serves and telling those stories to those who need to hear it.
“Saskatchewan has always been a place of humble innovation,” says Belof. “Too humble, in fact. We’re here to help ‘wave the flag’ and connect the remarkable businesses here to the world.”
He says that the province’s key sectors—mining, agriculture and energy—and the growing tech sector are attracting more attention than ever from outside the province.
“Our little province is not so little after all,” says Green. “We’re a place that is literally helping feed the world, and that is getting noticed more and more every day.”
Feel the energy
Lovequist also observes the “new Saskatchewan” emerging every day. He was fortunate to participate in the 24-Hour Startup competition at the Canada Farm Show last June and got a firsthand look at Saskatchewan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“Deloitte entered a team, and we were able to work alongside aspiring tech startups as they solved an agriculture problem with technology and presented their solution in 24 hours,” he says. The Deloitte team won the People’s Choice Award at the event and walked away with an incredible experience that continues to inform their work.
“We were lucky to have the opportunity to work with such ambitious and dynamic people, and get out of our comfort zone,” says Lovequist. “Seeing how entrepreneurial our people are was astonishing. The future is bright for Saskatchewan.”
On the forefront
These days, business is also more than just business. Focussing strictly on the bottom line is long gone. Organizations must now see themselves as citizens of their communities, and act accordingly. Deloitte has taken that idea of corporate citizenship and run with it.
The firm has articulated and embraced its five shared values—lead the way, serve with integrity, take care of each other, foster inclusion, and collaborate for measurable impact—and the need for responsible corporate leadership.
Deloitte was one of the first in Canada to launch a Reconciliation Action Plan and marked two years of its reconciliation journey in 2022. The plan includes education, inclusion, employment and economic empowerment, and it was the first of its kind in corporate Canada. “We are very proud of our reconciliation commitments. To see the impact firsthand, not only within Deloitte and our teams throughout the country, but also with our Indigenous partners is humbling. While this is only the beginning of a much needed journey for all of yet to come,” says Belof.
As well, the firm is also leading its clients in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), a hot topic in today’s business environment. “ESG reporting is more and more a requirement today, and our team can help companies do their best when it comes to being good corporate citizens,” says Green.
Make the connection
Deloitte, through its decades and decades of experience here and around the globe, has carved out an impressive role in leading businesses and organizations with a dynamic team that believes in the work they do and the places they do it.
“There are so many amazing things happening in Saskatchewan, and Deloitte is here to support it and grow it. It’s incredible to be part of it all,” says Belof. “Whether you have one question or a complex problem to solve, Deloitte is here to help. We’re made up of the people that call Saskatchewan home and we’re supported by national and global expertise. We know this place and we’re here to bring the very best to help.”
Learn more at deloitte.com.
Deloitte Canada
2103 11th Avenue, Suite 900, Regina
306.565.5200
122 1st Avenue South, Suite 400, Saskatoon
306.343.4400
