Farhan: from Big to Better
I joined Grant Thornton in November 2021 from one of the larger professional services firms, and since joining the firm, I can honestly say I am only looking forward to the experiences and opportunities to come. From a professional perspective I have hugely enjoyed the variety of specialist areas, business size and clients that I have been working on. From private equity to insurance brokers, real estate to trading platform, there has been no shortage of variety and learning to keep me busy.
It’s not only statutory audits that I have worked on though. I’ve really enjoyed the breadth of services I have been involved with and it’s been great to use my previous experience, gained from managing large-scale audit engagements, and put this into practice in my new role, helping our firm grow out its value and offering proposition.
A change for the better
It felt like a really big move to change firms after so many years, but I am so pleased that I did. The firm’s approach to hybrid working really impressed me, in striking that perfect balance of being visible and delivering the plus factor to our clients and within our audit team, whilst also not just being somewhere to be seen.
The culture within the firm and the approach to flexible working has enabled me to spend more time with my family, leading to a much better work/life balance. I thank the partner group for showing a huge amount of faith and transparency when discussing my goals and career objectives, understanding my concerns and for offering me a challenging and exciting role.
One thing that struck me particularly when visiting our London office is how the team is so much closer and more tightly knit than my previous job, it feels much like a family. Everyone has been super welcoming, and I have really enjoyed the agility of the partner group and manager team to make decisions and resolve issues quickly without waiting days and weeks.
My final thought on reflecting on my job move is just how much Grant Thornton has grown even in the short time I have been here. The performance bonus with flexible holiday policy means that I see real future opportunities for growth in my role rather than a game of musical chairs, which motivates me more to work hard for my clients and use my experience to help the firm meet the ambitious goals.
The good news is the next 12 to 18 months certainly do not look to be slowing down and I’m excited to see what the coming months and years bring for my career at Grant Thornton.
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