Business and financial adviser Grant Thornton UK LLP has launched a new team to deliver its national entrepreneurial and small and medium enterprises (SME) services offering.
In South Wales and the South West of England, the team will be led by Entrepreneurial and SME Services Director Gareth Barry.
The new offering is designed to provide entrepreneurs and fast growth businesses with the support they need to achieve their goals. Businesses will benefit from regular meetings with a local relationship partner to understand their strategic challenges and shape Grant Thornton’s advice accordingly, bringing the full breadth of the firm’s expertise to the client’s benefit to help super-charge growth.
This support covers a wide range of areas, such as attracting and retaining talent, leveraging automation and AI, expanding internationally, ensuring global regulatory compliance and working with shareholders to understand and achieve a tax efficient exit, be it a sale or listing.
The national team will be jointly led by Partners Tim Taylor and Gareth Hitchmough. They will work alongside senior colleagues Lynne Bicket, Mike Delf and Rob Thomson, supported by a large team throughout the UK.
Gareth will be based at the firm’s Cardiff office. He was promoted to director late last year following a ten-year career, the last three years of which have been at Grant Thornton.
On top of his position in the Entrepreneurial and SME Services team, Gareth is one of Grant Thornton’s Neurodiversity Champions. He sits on the UK-wide People Voice Group, helping senior leadership to consider different strands of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in their decision-making.
Gareth said:
“The South Wales and the South West of England region has a vibrant private business community, with an array of creative, innovative and ambitious companies. Businesses across the region of all sizes have trusted Grant Thornton to steer them to where they need to go, help them to overcome challenges, and meet their long-term goals. In this new role, I’m eager to connect with mid-market businesses, bringing my expertise to discussions around the best strategies to achieve their ambitions.
“As the technological, regulatory and economic landscapes are evolving at an increasingly rapid pace, it can be hard for businesses without large teams of specialists to navigate these potential barriers and stay competitive. This can make it difficult to focus on your priorities, whether that’s international expansion, exploring a sale or entering a new market. In the new Entrepreneurial and SME Services team, we can scale with your business and adapt our approach accordingly, without losing the local, relationship-led approach.”
Tim Taylor, Partner and Head of Entrepreneurial and SME Services at Grant Thornton UK LLP, said:
“Entrepreneurs and fast growth businesses are at the forefront of the economy, reacting to the quickly changing nature of today’s markets with fresh ideas and innovations. Supporting fast growth and growth potential businesses is therefore vital to driving economic growth as well as the UK’s ability to compete globally.
“To ensure that businesses fulfil their potential, it’s vital they receive the advice that will drive value, foster growth and overcome any hurdles. When working with our Entrepreneurial and SME Services team, businesses will have a local relationship partner that understands their challenges and opportunities with the added benefit of access to Grant Thornton’s wider stakeholder, investor and specialist advisor connections in the UK and around the world. This support will evolve as their business evolves and work as an extension of their team to provide guidance and impactful insights.”
