Grant Thornton

High Quality and Standards across the Globe

Grant Thornton International Ltd. is one of the world’s leading organisations of independently owned and managed accounting and consulting firms. The Grant Thornton global organisation includes more than 2,500 partners in over 100 countries. Grant Thornton firms provide assurance, accountancy, tax and advisory services to privately held businesses and public interest entities all over the world.

Grant Thornton Belgium adheres to the same high international standards that characterise all Grant Thornton member firms worldwide. Marleen Mannekens, Partner, explains, “We serve both local and international clients from our offices in Belgium. Around 12% of our business concerns inbound referrals and we expect this percentage to continue to grow. This growth is stimulated through the set up of ‘International Business Centres’ within the major member firms. These business centres facilitate direct contacts for clients seeking to expand their cross-border activities and assist them while identifying the right person within the Grant Thornton global organisation. Our access to a global network benefits our clients and reassures them about our quality and our international scale, size and scope ensures the client a very personalised approach.”

Support for dynamic familyowned companies

In Belgium, Grant Thornton has a particularly strong expertise in the retail, manufacturing, biotechnology/life science, service and information technology sectors. Marleen Mannekens says, “While maintaining our sector expertise, we also focus on family-owned businesses with an entrepreneurial spirit, businesses that show the dynamics that you would expect from the successful companies of tomorrow. Typically, we service companies that grow and expand, starting from very small organisations to high-profile listed companies. These are situations where we feel we really provide added value for the client. Familyowned businesses are very important in the Belgian economy.”

Marleen Mannekens believes that firms like Grant Thornton have a major role to play in Belgium’s future
through promoting the highest standards of quality and integrity, not only in business services but also
across Belgium’s industrial sector. She adds that Belgium continues to offer strong investment potential in spite of its current political issues.

“A key goal for Grant Thornton Belgium is to make clients aware of the advantages of dealing with a high
quality firm that can offer a partnerled service. Having personal and close contacts with our colleagues in the US, China and other markets, I can immediately guide our clients operating in those markets to the most appropriate person to provide assistance. We are a viable and real alternative to the largest international accounting and consulting firms.”

WEST END Business Park
Noordkustlaan 16 A – 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden
Tel: +32 2 468 5051
Lievekaai 21 – 9000 Gent
Tel: +32 9 266 1717
gt@be.gt.com
www.GrantThornton.be

Tags: Belgium, business services, consulting firm, international accounting, managed accounting, Marleen Mannekens, tax and advisory services