Location: London, UK
At Grant Thornton: Associate director, strategic development and growth
Outside the office: If I wasn’t working at Grant Thornton I would be a travelling writer
Share a fun personal fact
As a teenager, I was obsessed with Formula 1; I wouldn’t miss a race, qualifying or practice session regardless of the time.
Describe your day-to-day role
My role is incredibly varied. In a nutshell, I drive a number of initiatives aimed at delivering fast and strategic growth across our global organisation.
Every day I work with colleagues from different departments, backgrounds and countries. We’re focused on having quality member firms with the scale and capability to deliver exceptional service, regardless of where they are in the world.
How has your career developed since joining the firm?
I have been strongly encouraged to take control of my career and have been provided with the ideal environment to develop. I have sought out two secondments, one within the UK firm, and currently to Grant Thornton International Ltd. I have enjoyed a variety of responsibilities and roles, which have enabled me to build a skill set much broader than that associated with traditional accounting and auditing.
In my current role, the opportunity to travel and meet colleagues from other countries is a real highlight. Looking back on my time in audit, the weeks I spent away with teams in remote areas, such as a fish farm in western Scotland, turned out to be the most entertaining.
“I’ve genuinely made lifelong friends at every stage in my career with Grant Thornton. The people are the best thing about working here.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received while working at Grant Thornton?
I've been fortunate to have had a great mentor and worked closely with some of our senior leaders. A key piece of advice has been the importance of lifelong learning; that to be successful the rate of learning must be greater than the rate of change.
What do our global values mean to you and which one is your favourite?
Our global values are the foundation of our culture, and collaboration is absolutely key in my current role. I believe that agility, in how we deliver value to our clients and how we adapt and grow as a firm, is the value that will truly enable us to set ourselves apart from our competitors.
What inspires you?
Many things. I love learning, working with clever, funny people and the idea that what I do adds value.
