Hong Kong―Allan Aw ticks off the milestones of his long career in accounting: Trainee with the old Arthur Young in London, starting in 1973. Tax accountant in the Hong Kong office in 1976. Partner in 1986. Managing partner in 1995. "You have to understand," he says, leaning forward in his desk chair and revealing an Andersen staff photograph perched on the cre-denza behind him in his office in Hong Kong's Central district. "I've been with the firm a long time. I'm an Andersen person." So on March 21, when he signed a memorandum of understanding to sever ties with Andersen Worldwide and affiliate with rival PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP instead, it was a move. Mr. Aw couldn't have conceived of just weeks before. But the hardest decision of his professional career was triggered early in the morning of March 15 when he checked his voice mail.
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