Grant Thornton names UAE business its top performing member firm of the year
Out of its more than 150 member firms around the world, Grant Thornton has named its UAE business as the network’s standout performer for the year 2024.
Globally, Grant Thornton has more than 76,000 people working in 156 countries. Every year, at its annual ‘Go Beyond Awards’ ceremony, the network picks its top performing member firm, with the prize this year scooped by the UAE business. To rate ‘top performing’, the award looked at three aspects: growth, positioning, and differentiation in the national market in which it operates.
“We are deeply honoured to be named ‘Firm of the Year’ in the Grant Thornton network. This prestigious title is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all our people,” said Hisham Farouk, CEO of Grant Thornton in the UAE.
In the UAE, Grant Thornton has around 800 staff working across offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. The firm’s offerings mirror its global portfolio of services, including audit, accounting, financial advisory, deals, management consulting, IT advisory, tax, and technology.
Growth
One of the main factors that caught the eye of the global network is Grant Thornton’s strong growth in the region. In 2024, the UAE business booked of 33% growth in revenues, and over the past three years, the business enjoyed a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 40%.
“We have shown remarkable growth over the past number of years. In 2024, we focused heavily on business growth. We won international projects together and delivered quality work worldwide. By collaborating across borders, we leveraged our collective strengths and expertise. This global teamwork was a critical success factor, helping our member firms build the capabilities needed to serve international clients effectively.”
With ambitious goals to grow even further over the next three years, including doubling the size of our partner group and ensuring a strong number of female partners, we are set to continue to go from strength to strength,” continued Farouk.
Branding
In terms of branding, Grant Thornton managed to build out its brand in the UAE across key verticals, such as government, financial services, and retail. “We placed a strong focus on growing our brand in 2024,” noted Farouk.
“To ensure continuous development, it is critical we continue investing in our brand. There are a lot of innovative solutions that Grant Thornton is issuing to ensure our brand cascades beyond. For instance, digital and virtual transformation are at the heart of the ‘Go Beyond’ network strategy 2025, we are convinced that these initiatives will shape the future of our services and how we interact with our clients.”
Differentiation
Finally, in the area of differentiation in the national market, the UAE business stood out for how it manages to localize global offerings to the specifics of the region, and tailor them to the needs of its client base. One aspect that has driven this success is the large diversity of its team: in the UAE, the company employs people from over 55 nationalities.
“At Grant Thornton, we strive to foster an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. Our dedication to these values, along with our diverse community, backgrounds, and experiences, sets us apart in the marketplace.”
