AI Magazine Issue 7 2018

78 Acquisition International - Issue 7 2018 Grant Thornton is one of the world’s leading organisations of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms. Taking time to provide us with an insight into the firm is Practice Leader of Grant Thornton’s Insolvency Practice, Kevin Hellard, who reveals more about Grant Thornton’s innovative ways. lease tell us about your firm, the work you do and the types of clients with whom you work. I am the Practice Leader of Grant Thornton’s Insolvency Practice, which is the largest contentious insolvency team in the UK. The team has recovered over £3billion of hidden and misappropriated assets over the last seven years. The practice has traced and recovered assets from over 65 jurisdictions worldwide by working with our offshore and mid-shore member firms. Also, we act in the enforcement of arbitration awards and guarantees, working closely with legal teams to create and implement a recovery strategy. As a result of our focus on the asset recovery space, we operate a unique structure of ownership and investments in the principal offshore member firms. This enables consistency of quality and delivery on global recovery assignments. What is your approach when undertaking a new client or project? How do you ensure right from the start that the outcome meets the needs of everyone involved? When approaching a new case, we draw on our vast experience of contentious insolvency assignments to satisfy the different demands involved. We implement the tools and powers we are equipped with as insolvency practitioners and forensic accountants. Grant Thornton has a global reach that allows us to provide asset recovery solutions and industry experts across multiple jurisdictions. We regularly take joint cross-border assignments with our offshore and mid-shore network of over 65 member firms. Tell us about your business and your ongoing strategy. What techniques do you employ to ensure that you achieve this? Contact: Kevin Hellard Company: Grant Thornton 30 Finsbury Square London, EC2P 2YU Email: [email protected] Web: www.grantthornton.co.uk Unlocking the Potential for Growth P 1807AI43 The market is rapidly changing; we strategically identify new opportunities to ensure we deliver market leading solutions and products for our clients. We continually develop our skill set and offering whilst working closely with other practice areas. This enables us to deliver a full breadth of service such as cyber security and corporate intelligence, which helps us to stay ahead of developments and threats in the market. Also, we are supported by our network of member firms which allows us to engage trusted partners and local experts at short notice, whilst providing on the ground training to deliver high-level solutions. What are your thoughts on the state of your industry currently? Are there any particular issues/changes that are affecting it? Insolvency is a challenging and evolving market. To compete at the highest levels, you need to innovate constantly to meet the needs of changing funding structures, as well as increasingly complex and international corporate structures. We have experienced changes to the funding landscape, within contentious insolvency, which effects the litigation process. We address this by providing access to funding through in-house solutions. What attributes do you believe are essential to achieving success in your industry or sector? In order to achieve success, it is imperative to deliver innovation, credibility, experience, a flexible approach and adaptability to change. The ability to understand and anticipate the needs of the market enables you to develop products and services which satisfy the demands of the evolving economy. People are intrinsic to achieving success. The people we work with outside of our organisation are crucial to the results we achieve and form an integral part of the team on many assignments. We have developed strong and well-established working relationships with some of the most highly regarded asset recovery professionals in the world, with whom we share a mutual respect. This enables us to obtain immediate local advice of the highest quality and formulate effective asset recovery strategies. As a result of these relationships, which are built on trust, we are able to take a ‘one team’ approach when we are costing a recovery strategy and the team will be flexible with regard to remuneration if required. In order to achieve success, it is imperative to deliver innovation, credibility, experience, a flexible approach and adaptability to change.