Grant Thornton makes Lauren Carlyle south west practice lead

Grant Thornton has selected a new head of practice for its south west England and Wales region. Lauren Carlyle will now head up the firm’s Cardiff and Bristol offices.

Speaking on the team she will lead, Carlyle said, “The expert, multidisciplinary teams in our Bristol and Cardiff offices are testament to the supportive culture at Grant Thornton as well as the area’s creative and ambitious businesses, which are always looking for new ways to grow and innovate. I’m incredibly proud to be working with these teams and helping them further develop to meet the needs of a complex and changing economy.”

Having joined as a partner in 2022, Carlyle is a pensions specialist at Grant Thornton, bringing extensive experience to this new role. Based in Cardiff, she has provided audit and assurance services for more than 20 years – having previously spent time with PwC – supporting clients to overcome key challenges in an everchanging regulatory and economic landscape. She is a member of the Pensions Management Institute (PMI) committee in Bristol. 

As practice lead, she is responsible for developing the teams across Bristol and Cardiff to ensure that they have the people and talent required to support the region’s businesses. Building on Grant Thornton’s inclusive and supportive culture will be central to this, as will coordinating the local partner team and growing the firm’s collaborative relationships with local business leaders.  

Carlyle added, “The value of investing in our people was showcased last year, when we welcomed 28 new joiners to our Bristol and Cardiff offices as part of the firm’s largest ever national intake of graduates and school leavers. In addition, Grant Thornton has been independently recognised as an outstanding employer for women, working families, social mobility and LGBTQIA+.”

Grant Thornton has a regional team of almost 300 people based across the firm’s Bristol and Cardiff offices. Jonathan Riley, Grant Thornton’s previous practice leader in South West England and Wales, rotated out of the role at the end of 2023 to consider new challenges.