Grant Thornton accelerates in the UAE with 10 new partners
Grant Thornton has announced a major boost to its senior leadership team in the UAE, welcoming ten new partners across multiple service lines.
The new partners are Sameer Abdi (Advisory), Chris Quinn (Audit), Hani Zeidan (Audit), Ahmad Chit (Forensics), Ahmed Afify (Audit), Haris Saigal (Audit), Rajeev Patel (Financial Due Diligence), Anand Balasubramanian (Risk & Compliance Advisory), Veronica Fox (People), and Richard Hills (Risk Innovation & Digital Forensics).
Two of the appointments, Ahmed Afify and Haris Saigal, have been promoted from within the firm. The other members have been hired externally, arriving with backgrounds at other leading professional services and/or industry.
Hisham Farouk, CEO of Grant Thornton in the UAE, said: “These appointments recognise people who have earned the confidence of clients and colleagues through the quality of their work and the way they lead. Each partner brings a clear understanding of the market, strong professional judgement and a responsibility that extends beyond individual engagements. That responsibility matters, both to our clients and to the wider business community.”
In the UAE, Grant Thornton has around 800 staff working across offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. The firm is one of the fastest growing country businesses in Grant Thornton’s global network, and is a member of Grant Thornton Advisors – the multinational platform established with the backing of private equity firm New Mountain Capital.
Applauding the firm’s growth in the UAE, Jim Peko, CEO of Grant Thornton Advisors, said: “The UAE is not only an important market for us – it is a driving force within our 24,000-strong platform. The leadership emerging here, grounded in deep local insight and matched with our multinational ambition, reflects the strength of our platform and the exceptional people who power it.”
“The UAE plays a pivotal role in delivering the seamless crossborder experience our clients expect, and it continues to set the pace for what excellence looks like across Grant Thornton.”
Steve Tennant, CEO of Grant Thornton Advisors for Europe, Middle East and Africa, added: “What clients value most today is advisers who truly understand the forces reshaping the markets they operate in and who recognise the responsibility that comes with staying ahead of that change. As the professional services landscape evolves at unprecedented speed, these new appointments demonstrate the forward-looking perspective needed to navigate what’s next.”
