EY strengthens strategy and execution team
Alex Gaunt, head of UK&I transaction strategy and execution, said the new additions bring a ‘wealth of experience’ and expertise which will help our clients navigate ongoing market uncertainty
EY-Parthenon has strengthened its transaction strategy and execution team with the appointments of Nicola Grimes and Michael Schwitters both join as associate partners whilst Mennat Barakat joins as director.
Grimes rejoins after nearly 20 years client-side. In her new role she will focus on strengthening the firm’s finance function capability and will also work with its reshaping results team which helps companies solve complex and critical business issues.
She previously spent eight years as the group financial director of a private equity backed health and social care business, where she led several complex transactions and transformations over the investment cycle. She has also held senior finance roles in large corporations, including Compass, Virgin Media and Liberty Media.
According to the firm, Schwitters brings over 20 years’ strategic technology consulting and industrial experience. He has led on “large and complex” technology transformations as well as integration and separation transactions in a number of sectors.
In his new role he will be assisting clients, primarily in the advanced manufacturing and mobility sector, to unlock and maximise value through technology across the deal lifecycle and address the opportunities and challenges created by emerging technologies.
EY also said Barakat brings 15 years’ consulting and industry experience in the consumer goods sector. In her previous role in strategy consulting, she worked with c-suite clients to drive sustainable cost reduction and enable efficient growth.
Prior to consulting, he was a finance director of a large consumer goods organisation and has led multiple regional and global finance business partnering roles across the value chain in consumer goods organisations.
At EY-Parthenon, Mennat will also work with the reshaping results team, focusing on organisation design and zero-based budgeting for consumer goods and retail companies.
Alex Gaunt, head of EMEIA and UK&I transaction strategy and execution at EY-Parthenon, said: “They bring a wealth of experience and expertise which will help our clients navigate ongoing market uncertainty and expand and develop their businesses in a sustainable, diverse and innovative way.”
