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Business Risk Services
Our Business Risk Services team deliver practical and pragmatic solutions that support clients in growing and protecting the inherent value of their businesses.
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Corporate Finance and Deal Advisory
We offer a dedicated team of experienced individuals with a focus on successfully executing transactions for corporates and financial institutions. We offer an integrated approach, with our corporate finance specialists working seamlessly with tax and other specialists to ensure that every angle is covered.
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Economic Advisory
Our all-island Economics Advisory team combines expertise in economics and business with a wealth of experience across the public and private sectors.
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Forensic Accounting
We have a different way of doing business by delivering real insight through a combination of technical rigour, commercial experience and intuitive judgment. We take pride in delivering responsive and tailored solutions to all our clients, capitalising on the wealth of experience housed within our Belfast and wider Forensics team
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People and Change Consulting
The Grant Thornton People & Change Consulting practice works with clients on these issues as well as on all aspects of how they attract, retain, engage develop, deploy and lead their people.
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Restructuring
We work with a wide variety of clients and stakeholders such as high street banks, private equity funds, directors, government agencies and creditors to implement solutions which provide the best possible outcomes.
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Technology Consulting
Motivating and assisting our clients to pursue, maintain and secure the benefits of digital solutions is at the core of our Digital Transformation teams' agenda and goals. We work with business leaders to deliver efficient digital strategies and operating models that provide new or enhanced capabilities.
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Corporate and International Tax
Northern Ireland businesses face further challenges as they operate in the only part of the UK that has a land border with a country offering a lower tax rate.
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Employer Solutions
Our team specialises in remuneration and incentive planning and works closely with employers, shareholders and employees to ensure that business strategies are aligned and goals achieved in the most tax efficient, cost-effective manner.
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Entrepreneur and Private Client Taxes
Our team of experienced advisors are on hand to guide you through any decision or transaction ranging from the establishment of new business ventures, to realising value on exit, to succession planning and providing for loved ones.
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Global Mobility Services
Grant Thornton Ireland offer a different approach to managing global mobility. We have brought together specialists from our tax, global payroll, people and change and financial accounting teams across Ireland and Northern Ireland, while drawing on the knowledge and insights of our global network of over 143 offices of mobility professionals to provide you with a holistic approach to managing global mobility.
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Outsourced Payroll
Our outsourced service provides valued service to over 150 separate PAYE schemes. These ranging from 1 to 1000 employees, working for micro, SME and global employers. The service is supported by the integrated network of tax and global mobility teams and the wider Grant Thornton network delivering a seamless service. Experienced staff deliver a personal service built around your business needs.
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Tax Disputes and Investigations
Our Tax Disputes and Investigation team is made up of tax experts and former HMRC investigators who have years of experience in dealing with a variety of tax investigations. Our expertise and insight can guide you through all interactions, keeping your cost at a minimum while allowing you to continue with the day to day running of your business.
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VAT and Indirect Taxes
At Grant Thornton (NI) LLP, our team helps Northern Ireland businesses manage their UK and global indirect tax risks which, as transactional taxes, can quickly become big liabilities.
Why internal auditing can be beneficial to all concerned
22 Nov 2016Increasingly in today’s environment and market place, public and private sector organisations are calling upon the skills of internal auditors to review internal processes at both strategic and operational levels.
Once, internal audit was perceived to be about auditing compliance with processes or key financial controls, or simply seen as an obligation or “tick-box” exercise for businesses and organisations. In response to increasing demand from progressive organisations over the last five years or so, the scope of Internal Audit in both the public and private sectors, has expanded dramatically. There are two main reasons for this.
Firstly, across the UK and Ireland, there has been a changing mentality of how clients perceive internal audit. Clients across both the public and private sectors, are requesting a much broader internal audit service, whether it be core internal audit, IT audit, cyber security, risk management, corporate governance, process reviews or LEAN reviews.
Dealing with ‘problem’ areas head on
Clients now wish to incorporate more operational areas within their internal audit plans, where previously they may have been resistant to this. Indeed more and more organisations and businesses are focusing their internal audit services on the areas of concern, rather than trying to avoid them being audited at all. Dealing with ‘problem’ areas head on allows for the identification of weaknesses or issues, and making achievable recommendations for improvement. Given capacity and resource constraints for many organisations and businesses, effective internal audit can be a cost effective method to addressing operational, process or financial issues. In addition, it provides organisations with the assurance of an independent opinion on the area or process being reviewed, while benefiting from knowledge sharing opportunities.
Secondly, advisors have developed their skills and the individual demands and needs of clients means that a one size fits all approach does not work. Leading advisors tailor their approach for every client, based on their exact needs, risks and wants.
A partnership approach tends to work best with advisors striving to provide services as a partner rather than a supplier. As a result, the focus has evolved to be on process improvement, supporting and advising clients, as well as providing assurance over key areas or controls.
Whilst internal audit advises and supports clients, it also acts as a challenge function. Those businesses and entities who get the most out of internal audit see it as a “critical friend”, there to support and advise, but who will also have the difficult conversations and raise issues that are identified. This approach is more time intensive, but experience and client feedback shows that it provides a much more effective service and adds more value to the client.
In summary, the scope of internal audit is expanding, and with it the breadth of services and support an internal audit team can provide and offer to organisations and businesses. Whilst remaining independent, this allows opportunities to work much more closely with clients and develop much stronger relationships, which is mutually beneficial to all parties.