Simon Morris, Grant Thornton managing partner of the recovery and reorganisation practice, has been made chief operating officer responsible for the firm’s operational management and business unit managing partners, in a restructure aimed at strengthening its leadership board.

Michael Cleary, Grant Thornton chief executive, said the restructure would ‘add fuel to our resolve to create a £500m turnover business by 2010’ which would be a stronger international alternative proposition in the market.

Also part of the restructure, Sacha Romanovitch, Grant Thornton managing partner of the advisory services business unit, has been made responsible for providing ‘inspired leadership on people issues and skills development’, while former RSM Robson Rhodes partners David Barnes and Alan Lees have been appointed to the firm's partnership committee

Existing board members Steve Edmonds, David Maxwell, John Mew and Malcolm Ward have have had their responsibilities expanded. Edmonds will oversee programmes relating to partner and director issues and Maxwell will lead the development of the firm's marketing, brand development, sales performance, routes to market and customer satisfaction and retention. Mew will take board leadership of the technical communities and Ward will be responsible for developing the firm's detailed medium and longer-term strategic direction.

Further reading:

Grant Thornton turnover soars after merger