PwC chief executive Kevin Burrowes says it is time to draw a line under the damaging tax leaks scandal that has plagued the big-four firm, while conceding the task of restoring its tattered reputation will take years.

After a horror period in which PwC was blackballed from lucrative federal government contracts, forced to hive off its 100-partner public sector consulting business for $1 and lost another 200-odd partners, Mr Burrowes said he was confident “enough progress” had been made to begin rebuilding.