Grant Thornton hires Big Four leader Sameer Abdi as Head of Advisory for UAE
Grant Thornton has installed a new Head of Advisory for its UAE business. Sameer Abdi brings over 25 years of international Big Four experience in M&A, financial services, technology, and real estate.
Appointed a partner and practice leader at the start of this month, Sameer Abdi joined from PwC, where he was the Deals leader for the Middle East, overseeing one of the region’s largest M&A transaction practices.
On a personal level, Abdi has led cross-border transactions and strategic advisory mandates for sovereign wealth funds, investors, and private family offices, delivering over $10 billion in transaction value across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Earlier in his career, he spent 22 years at EY, where he grew the ranks to senior partner and played a key role in expanding its advisory business in the Middle East. Under his leadership the Transaction Advisory practice more than tripled in the Gulf, while Abdi also helped establish and build new consulting practices focused on family offices and the financial services industry.
In between his consulting spells, Abdi pursued an entrepreneurial venture (Innovura Partners) and worked as a venture capitalist and investor focused on the fintech and realtech segments. He also co-founded and scaled Aion, which offers a digital platform to banks in the region.
Now at Grant Thornton, he will leverage his experience and track record to help the firm grow its Advisory business in the UAE. Hot on the heels of joining the private equity-backed platform Grant Thornton Advisors, the UAE business announced bold growth ambitions, with Advisory an integral part of that drive.
“As part of the wider New Mountain Capital-backed platform, we are shaping a differentiated offering that combines local insight with global reach,” stated Abdi. “We partner with boards, executives, and investors to navigate complex challenges – ranging from market transformation and regulatory change to growth strategy and operational excellence.”
“Equally important, I am committed to developing and empowering our people, building the next generation of advisors who can thrive in a client-first, collaborative culture.”
Welcoming Abdi to the firm, Grant Thornton stated: “We are delighted to welcome Sameer to our leadership team. His wealth of expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to expand our capabilities and support clients in navigating complex opportunities and challenges.”
