New senior leaders supercharge Grant Thornton’s Midlands team
Leading business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP has made several senior appointments to its award-winning Midlands team.
The appointments at the Birmingham office include Sue Knight becoming the area’s new Practice Leader, Rachel Parker moving to lead the region’s corporate tax team and Sreekanth Gaddamanugu being appointed as Audit Director.
Sue Knight has been employed at Grant Thornton for 21 years. Prior to becoming the firm’s Birmingham based Practice Leader in January, she led the Private Ultra-High Net Worth team and the Trust business.
Sue now takes on responsibility for developing and growing Grant Thornton’s expert team across the Midlands. The firm had a very successful 2021 in the region, seeing significant growth and winning both Private Equity/Venture Capital Deal of the Year and International Deal of the Year at Insider’s Central & East Dealmakers Awards 2021.
Rachel Parker has recently moved from Grant Thornton’s Gatwick office to become the lead Partner for Midlands Corporate Tax. In this role, Rachel will head up the 40-person corporate tax team which is based across Birmingham and Leicester.
Rachel joined Grant Thornton in 2006 and specialises in working with mid-market businesses as well as large international firms. Being on the firm’s Social Mobility Board is a key element of Rachel’s role. The Board act as advocates for the firm’s social mobility programme and activity and is focused on continuing to drive change and build on the significant progress already made by the firm in this area.
Sreekanth Gaddamanugu’s appointment as Audit Director in December 2021 further strengthens Grant Thornton’s mid-market audit business. He has experience working with both large listed companies as well as dynamic mid-market businesses in the Midlands. He has an in-depth understanding of a range of sectors in the Midlands market, with a particular focus on the automotive and manufacturing industries.
In addition to these appointments, James Brown, Partner and Practice Leader at Grant Thornton UK LLP in the East of England, will take on new clients and markets leadership responsibilities in the Midlands. This will see James focus on developing existing relationships and collaborate with new companies in the region to help them fulfil their strategic goals.
James Brown said: “I am tremendously excited to be part of our Midlands team, which, as these recent appointments illustrate has such a great breadth of expertise, and I’m looking forward to building on the already strong relationships that we have in the market”.
The evolution of Grant Thornton’s 400-strong Birmingham team is exemplified by its pending move to 103 Colmore Row, which will facilitate a more agile and client-focused approach. The sustainable nature of the new office’s design also reflects the firm’s focus on sustainable working practises
Sue Knight, Partner at Grant Thornton and Midlands Practice Leader, said: “The recent appointments to our Midlands team illustrate the high level of talent we’re able to provide the region’s market. The skills and knowledge they bring are vital to ensuring that the innovative and ambitious businesses here are able to grow and capitalise on new opportunities. The Midlands team is full of incredibly supportive, dedicated and gifted experts, which makes it an exciting environment to be in. What’s more, we’re working in an area that has a wealth of interesting organisations to which we can offer everything from advisory, audit and forensic services to tax, global mobility and private wealth support.
Rachel Parker, Lead Partner for Midlands Corporate Tax, said: “This is a really exciting time to be leading the Midlands Corporate Tax team. There are significant opportunities in the market – a lot of innovative businesses with ambitious growth plans. The team’s increasing strength makes it well placed to unlock the potential of the Midlands’ market and help businesses navigate the increasingly complex world of taxation and realise their ambitions.
“As a member of Grant Thornton’s social mobility board, it’s really important for me that our team is not only as talented as possible but that it provides a supportive and inclusive space that reflects the diversity of our area.”
Sreekanth Gaddamanugu, Audit Director, said: “The area’s mid-market is very dynamic and has the capacity for substantial growth. I’m looking forward to working with the team to support our clients and provide assurance as they navigate the ever-changing external environment. I’ll also have a keen focus on inclusion and diversity and creating a culture of challenge and personal responsibility that enables every member of the team to fulfil their potential.”
These appointments follow a number of similar changes in 2021 to add strength and depth to the firm’s central team, such as Rob Outram becoming Birmingham’s new regional Head of VAT and Graham Howard being promoted to Tax Director in the West Midlands.
