DBA

What DBA does

DBA is an independent French accounting, audit, and advisory firm (cabinet d'Expertise Comptable, Audit & Conseil) headquartered at 36 rue du Louvre in central Paris. Founded in 2005 by four partners with the ambition to expand the role of statutory auditors in corporate finance departments, the firm has grown organically without external capital to approximately 270 collaborators. It serves four primary client bases: large enterprises including banking and insurance institutions requiring regulatory expertise; SMEs and mid-sized companies (PME/ETI) needing accounting, tax, and advisory; real estate sector clients including OPCI, SCPI, and FIA funds; and international groups establishing or operating in France. DBA has been ranked "Incontournable" in Real Estate audit and accounting by Décideurs Magazine for 7 consecutive years and is led by President Arnaud Laplanche together with numerous internally promoted partners.

DBA operates an integrated portfolio of eight service lines: Audit, Expertise comptable (statutory accounting), Consolidation et Reporting, International Business Services, Banque-Finance-Assurance, Immobilier, Gestion externalisée/BPO, and Accompagnement Opérationnel. The technology stack is conventional for mid-tier French professional services: Cegid accounting software and Microsoft 365 for internal operations, plus DBA Connect, a proprietary client portal launched in 2016 for secure document exchange and collaboration. The firm has no public API, no disclosed SDK, and no AI/ML product components. Sector-specific knowledge in regulated industries (banking, insurance, OPCI/SCPI real estate vehicles, SOX compliance) is described as the core domain differentiator.

The business model is classic professional services: revenue is generated through project-based engagements and multi-year retainer mandates, with custom engagement-based pricing determined per client by scope, size, and complexity. Distribution is partner-led direct sales supported by referrals, professional reputation, and lead flow from the HLB International network (155 countries, 58,000+ professionals). The firm is privately held as DBA GROUPE SAS (RCS Paris 482 021 334) with no parent company or PE ownership indicated. Customer relationships include named enterprise logos such as Invesco EMEA and RedTree Capital in real estate investment, alongside banking and insurance clients.

Name

DBA

Legal name

DBA GROUPE SAS

Website

https://fr-dba.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DBA is an independent Paris-based accounting, audit, and consulting firm with approximately 270 professionals serving large enterprises, SMEs/mid-cap companies, real estate funds, and international groups in France, with cross-border reach via the HLB International network spanning 155 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accounting and Audit Professional Services

NAICS

Offices of Certified Public Accountants (541211), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Planning & Analysis Support (Budgeting, Forecasting, Management Reporting) (BPAAAGAJ)

Keywords

• Accounting and audit services
• Statutory audit
• Financial consolidation reporting
• Outsourced finance function
• Real estate accounting

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services Revenue: DBA generates revenue through recurring professional services engagements including accounting, audit, consulting, and advisory services. Revenue model is project and retainer-based.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DBA is a Paris-based accounting, audit, and operational consulting firm delivering professional services to corporate finance departments. Its core offering combines general accounting (Expertise comptable), statutory and contractual audit, financial consolidation and reporting, and outsourced finance function management (BPO), complemented by sector-specialized practices in Banking/Finance/Insurance and Real Estate (OPCI, SCPI, FIA funds). All services are delivered by partner-led teams from the Paris headquarters, supported by the proprietary DBA Connect client portal.

Product overview

DBA is a professional services firm (cabinet d'Expertise Comptable, Audit & Conseil) offering a unified portfolio of eight interconnected service lines centered on accounting, audit, and financial consulting. The core offerings include Accounting (Expertise comptable), Audit, Consolidation and Reporting, and International Business Services, supplemented by sector-specific practices in Banking/Finance/Insurance, Real Estate (Immobilier), and Operational Support. A BPO/outsourcing service (Gestion externalisée) complements the portfolio. All services are delivered from the Paris headquarters with access to the global HLB International network of 155 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Expertise comptable (Accounting)
• Audit
• Consolidation et Reporting
• Banque, Finance, Assurance
• Immobilier (Real Estate)
• Gestion externalisée / BPO

Quantifiable outcome

• 93/100 Gender Equality Index 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HLB InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDBA is a member of HLB International, a global network of independent accounting and consulting firms. The network spans 155 countries with over 58,000 professionals. This membership enables DBA to serve international clients entering France and refer French clients to member firms globally. DBA's Laurent Capbern is a member of the Global Accounting & Compliance Services group within HLB.
• EcoVadiscoreOthersDBA undergoes annual EcoVadis assessment to measure and improve their CSR performance across social, environmental, ethics, and responsible procurement dimensions. They have achieved Gold medal status for 4+ consecutive years.
• Surfrider Foundation EuropeminorOthersEnvironmental protection partnership supporting ocean conservation. Supports the Echappée Bleue project bringing sailing experiences to youth and organizing beach cleanups.
• Aurore AssociationminorOthersSocial solidarity partnership supporting people in precarious situations. Supports the Epicerie Solidaire de Montreuil, provides donations to homeless shelters, and supports unaccompanied minors.
• L'Etoile de MartinminorOthersPediatric cancer research partnership supporting the Fonds Etoile pour la Recherche. Funded research programs and participated in fundraising activities.
• Lemon TriminorOthersPartnership for waste sorting and recycling. Lemon Tri collects and recycles office waste including Nespresso capsules, cardboard, paper, and plastic bottles.
• GreenlyminorOthersPartner for carbon footprint assessment. Collaborated with Greenly to produce DBA's first Carbon Assessment (Bilan Carbone) in 2024.
• United Nations Global CompactcoreOthersDBA is a signatory of the UN Global Compact, committing to its 10 principles across human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. They publish annual Communication on Progress (COP) reports.
• Charte de la DiversitéminorOthersDBA is an active signatory of the Diversity Charter, committing to promoting diversity and preventing discrimination since 2012, reinforced as active signatory in November 2023.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BDO: Global mid-tier accounting and advisory network with a French member firm serving SMEs, mid-market, and regulated-sector clients. Directly comparable to DBA as a network-based mid-tier alternative to the Big Four with a similar client profile and service mix.
• RSM: Global mid-tier audit, tax, and consulting network. Comparable to DBA in network-driven mid-tier positioning, focus on mid-market and international groups, and breadth of audit and outsourced finance services.
• Fiducial: Major French professional services firm focused on accounting, audit, payroll, and legal services for SMEs and mid-market clients. Comparable to DBA's PME/ETI segment and French mid-market positioning, though with a less pronounced sector specialization.
• Grant Thornton: Global mid-tier audit and advisory network with a French member firm. Directly comparable to DBA in its HLB-like network model, mid-market enterprise client base, and emphasis on audit, accounting, and sector-specialized advisory.
• Mazars: French-headquartered global mid-tier audit, accounting, and advisory firm operating as an alternative to the Big Four. Closely comparable to DBA in sector specialization (real estate, financial services), mid-tier positioning, and partner-led model, but operating at materially larger scale.
• In Extenso: French network of accounting and consulting firms (Deloitte member) serving SMEs, mid-market, and associations. Comparable to DBA on French professional services delivery, though distributed across a multi-office model rather than DBA's single Paris HQ.
• Exponens: French mid-tier accounting, audit, and advisory firm serving SMEs, mid-market, and not-for-profit clients in the Paris region. Closely comparable to DBA on French mid-tier scale, audit/expertise comptable mix, and partner-led service model.
• Baker Tilly: Global mid-tier accounting and advisory network with a French member firm. Closely comparable to DBA in mid-market enterprise focus, audit/outsourced accounting mix, and regulated-sector client work.

Broad incumbents

• KPMG France: Big Four firm in France with deep banking, insurance, and real estate audit practices. Overlaps with DBA on the enterprise banking/insurance segment but operates at much larger scale and a broader portfolio of services.
• PwC France: Big Four firm in France providing audit, tax, and advisory services to large enterprise and regulated-sector clients. Competes with DBA in the Grands Comptes segment and on cross-border international group work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dba-expertise-comptable-audit-conseil

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles21 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DBA