PROPOSAL 2: RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
KPMG LLP, New York, New York, has been appointed by the Board to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021.
Subsequent to the completion of the Company’s most recent fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, the Audit Committee conducted a review of the selection of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. On June 22, 2021, upon recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board dismissed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm.
The reports of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, and they were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principles.
During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 and the subsequent period preceding June 22, 2021, there were (i) no disagreements with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of such disagreements in connection with its reports, (ii) nor were there any “reportable events”, as such term is described in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Exchange Act.
On June 22, 2021, upon the recommendation of the Audit Committee, the Board approved the engagement of KPMG LLP to serve as the Company’s independent registered accounting firm to audit the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021.
During the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 and through June 22, 2021, neither the Company nor any person on its behalf has consulted with KPMG LLP with respect to either (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company’s consolidated financial statements or (ii) any matter that was either the subject of a “disagreement” or a “reportable event” as such terms are described in Items 304(a)(1)(iv) or 304(a)(1)(v), respectively, of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Exchange Act.
The Company previously disclosed the above-described change in independent registered public accounting firms in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on June 25, 2021 (the “Form 8-K”). As disclosed in the Form 8-K, the Company requested that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP agrees with the statements contained in the Form 8-K as they relate to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. A copy of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP letter, dated June 25, 2021, was filed as an exhibit to the Form 8-K.
In connection with its appointment as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021, KPMG LLP has advised the Company that neither the firm nor any present member or associate of it has any material financial interest, direct or indirect, in the Company or its affiliates and that KPMG LLP is capable of exercising objective and impartial judgment on all issues encompassed within its engagement with the Company as an audit client for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021. A representative of KPMG LLP will be available to answer questions during the Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires to do so.
Fees
Set forth in the table below are audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees and all other fees billed to the Company by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, for professional services performed for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019: