Grant Thornton UAE appoints first Emirati partner in Advisory practice

Global accounting and consulting firm Grant Thornton has hit a diversity milestone in the UAE, welcoming Dana Al Yazeedi as its first Emirati partner in the Advisory business.

Appointed a partner in the Abu Dhabi office, Dana Al Yazeedi brings over 14 years of experience in internal audit, risk management, and corporate governance across numerous organizations in the UAE, including the UAE’s Department of Health and state-owned investment company Mubadala.

In her new role, Al Yazeedi will focus on expanding Grant Thornton’s Advisory business in the UAE. “I’m excited to contribute to positioning Grant Thornton in its path of transformation. It is an exciting business environment in the UAE and I’m enthusiastic about joining a powerhouse such as Grant Thornton as they shape the industry. I look forward to working with a range of clients and supporting them in their growth by lending my expertise.”

With over 700 staff working from offices in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, Grant Thornton is one of the UAE’s leading professional services firms. The firm helps clients across the public sector, and in the private sector in segments such as energy, hospitality, leisure, real estate, construction, retail, transportation, logistics, defence, manufacturing, and telecommunication.

“I am pleased to welcome Dana to the Grant Thornton team as we continue to progress in our ambitious growth plans,” said Hisham Farouk, CEO of Grant Thornton in the UAE. “Dana adds a wealth of experience to the team and will sustain our momentum of strengthening our resources to cater to a growing clientele and our exceptional track record in the market.”

He added: “At Grant Thornton UAE, we are committed to offering a healthy, diverse, and inclusive environment to our employees and clients to encourage innovation, creativity and different ways of thinking. We are also committed to advancing Emiratis to shape the UAE into a globally renowned, people-centred economy. Together the business benefits from a range of experience, ideas, and approaches.”

Prior to joining Grant Thornton, Al Yazeedi served as the Internal Audit Division Director at the Department of Health in Abu Dhabi, where she led the audit function, established a corporate compliance and integrity function, optimized the audit function to boost operational effectiveness and ensured excellence in quality metrics.

Al Yazeedi has also held senior roles at the Department of Education and Knowledge in Abu Dhabi, as well as Emirates Investment Authority and UAE Accountability Authority.

Dana Al Yazeedi holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance from Abu Dhabi University, a diploma in accounting and finance from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and several certifications, including Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP), and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). She is also an alumnus of McKinsey’s Leadership Program.