Accountancy group Grant Thornton has appointed Tim Lincoln as practice leader for the South West region.
He succeeds John Golding, who will continue to lead the firm’s South West public sector assurance practice. Meanwhile Allister Weir, a director in the firm’s regional tax team, becomes a partner.
The changes mark the beginning of a new period of investment in Grant Thornton’s Bristol office and its regional hubs in Tewkesbury, Dorchester, Exeter and Truro, which together employ more than 200 people.
Tim Lincoln has been a partner at Grant Thornton for 12 years and was previously practice leader in the firm’s Belfast office, having also worked in Leeds, the Thames Valley, London and Paris.
He works in the audit and assurance practice, advising privately-owned and publicly-listed companies across various sectors. He also sits on Grant Thornton’s national oversight board and chairs its audit committee.
His predecessor John Golding leads Grant Thornton’s public sector assurance practice in the South West, which gives external audit services to NHS bodies and local authorities. It is the largest provider of assurance and advisory services to public sector bodies in the region.
Allister Weir, who leads the South West corporate tax advisory and compliance practice, joined Grant Thornton around 18 months ago from a Big Four firm. He has also served as head of international tax at the FTSE 250 travel group TUI Travel.
Grant Thornton UK posted a 13% increase in turnover to £471m for the financial year ended June 30, 2013 – a figure that it says shows it is well on the way to reaching its target of £500m earlier than forecast.
Tom Lincoln said: “My absolute focus is on extending Grant Thornton’s reach into the South West market place.
“We are in a strong position but we are investing in our team to go even further. That means bringing in new people at all levels of the firm, and developing our existing staff. It goes without saying that both John and Allister have a crucial role to play in this process.”
Robert Hannah, who leads Grant Thornton’s network of 25 regional offices, added: “Tim is a highly effective client service partner and a proven leader.
“He has built an exceptional reputation in the market for providing high-quality advice to assist dynamic businesses in realising their potential for growth and is a role model within the firm for living the values and behaviours we expect. He will bring those leadership and commercial skills to bear in his new role while continuing to support his clients.”
Pictured, from left: John Golding, Tim Lincoln and Allister Weir
