Ian Guthrie to lead real estate advisory team at Grant Thornton
Grant Thornton has announced the appointment of Ian Guthrie as a partner to lead its real estate advisory business across Britain. Guthrie brings a wealth of experience and deep sector expertise, with Keely Woodley, the firm’s head of strategic advisory, calling him “a senior operator within the real estate sector”.
Speaking on the arrival of the 30-year veteran, Woodley added, “We are delighted that Ian Guthrie is joining the firm to lead our Real Estate Advisory offering. His appointment allows us to offer a best-in-class real estate advisory offering to our global clients across the sector.”
Following a career spanning three decades, Guthrie joins Grant Thornton from JLL, where he served as senior managing director in banking and capital markets – and also led its pan-EMEA loan advisory business. Prior to his tenure at JLL, Guthrie held senior positions at the HBOS & Lloyds Banking Group, latterly leading the real estate restructuring team.
Other spells of his career have seen Guthrie take on advisory roles to a major US hedge fund and the UK government, the latterly notably through his contributions to the industrial development advisory board. He has used this experience to help work with a range of private equity sponsors, lenders, developers and public bodies to navigate the specialist real estate capital markets.
Looking ahead, the appointment aims to strengthen Grant Thornton’s ability to provide expert insight and problem-solving skills to sophisticated clients across the real estate sector, particularly in today’s challenging market conditions. He will officially join Grant Thornton in October 2025 and will be based in the firm’s London office.
Guthrie added, "I’m thrilled to join Grant Thornton at such a pivotal time for the real estate industry. The sector faces significant challenges and opportunities as it navigates economic uncertainties, changing occupier demands, and sustainability imperatives. I look forward to leveraging my experience to build upon Grant Thornton’s strong client proposition and deliver innovative solutions that create value for our clients."
