PwC global chief executive meets Prem Chand Gupta

NEW DELHI: PricewaterhouseCooper's global CEO Samuel DiPaizza, who is India amid the ongoing probe in the auditing major's role in Satyam scam, today met Corporate Affairs Minister Prem Chand Gupta.

The PwC global chief, who rushed to India from Davos, where he was expected to attend the World Economic Forum, went to meet Gupta today.

"We can confirn that Samuel A DiPiazza, Jr, Chief Executive Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers International, met the Corporate Affairs Minister. It would be inappropriate to comment on a private meeting," a PW statement said.

DiPiazza's India visit coincides with Price Waterhouse suspending two of its partners -- S Goplakrishnan and Srinivas Talluri -- who worked on the accounts of scam-hit Satyam Computer and were arrested last week.

The PwC global CEO had been expected to stay longer at the World Economic Forum at Davos, but departed early. The two PW partners are being questioned in connection with the Rs 7,800-crore Satyam scam.

On Tuesday, PW had said, "In the light of recent allegations, the two have been suspended of all their duties and functions as partners, pending completion of investigations into the Satyam matter."

Price Waterhouse has also announced the resignation of its assurance leader, Thomas Mathew, but said he would continue to remain a partner of the auditing firm.

An assurance leader oversees a firm's audit practices, policies and procedures, and growth and quality control.



Though Mathew had no connection with the audit of Satyam, "in the light of the present situation, he believes, it would be appropriate for him to relinquish his management position," Price Waterhouse said.

A new assurance leader would be appointed in the near future, it had added.