Grant Thornton to invest £500m in client services overhaul

Grant Thornton has announced plans to invest £500m over several years to overhaul how it delivers audit, tax and advisory services, with a focus on digital tools, data and changes to its operating model.

The UK firm said the investment would be used to redesign internal processes and introduce new technology platforms intended to reduce duplication, streamline workflows and provide clients with faster access to advice and insight.

Grant Thornton said the programme would be delivered through a series of milestones, with some tools and platforms expected to be launched within weeks or months. It is understood that the new model was designed around client decision-making needs rather than traditional professional services structures.

Malcolm Gomersall, chief executive of Grant Thornton, said: “Professional services have become too slow, too complex and too inward-looking for the pace of modern business. It has prioritised process, not decision-making.”

The firm said it would work with global technology partners and its investor, Cinven, to introduce connected digital platforms that consolidate client information and reduce manual tasks. Through this new structure, clients would be able to access real-time updates and spend more time working directly with advisers.

Grant Thornton also said the investment would change how its staff work, with digital tools taking on more routine administrative and checking tasks. The firm believes this would allow teams to focus on client relationships and complex advisory work.

Gomersall’s aim is to make digital technology support, rather than complicate, professional advice. He said the investment reflected a commitment to a different way of working for both clients and advisers.