Zeenat Patel joins partnership of Grant Thornton amid North West expansion
Audit specialist Zeenat Patel has been promoted to partner with Grant Thornton. The move sees the firm accelerate its investment in expertise to support North West businesses.
Speaking on her new role, Patel commented, “Becoming a Partner is about more than personal progression, it’s the opportunity to have a wider impact. That means deepening client relationships, contributing to how we win in the North West market and creating an environment where our people can genuinely thrive. Building a team that reflects the region’s diversity, and where people bring their whole selves to work, is central to how I want to lead. I’m proud to be doing that at Grant Thornton at a time when the firm’s growth ambitions are so clearly matched by what the North West has to offer.”
Patel brings more than 12 years’ audit experience working with large private and listed companies. She joined Grant Thornton as an associate in 2016 and has risen through the ranks to partner. Last year, she was named Finance Professional of the Year at the Made in Manchester Awards and was featured on the Northern Power Women Futures List in recognition of her professional standing and her commitment to building diverse, high-performing teams.
Her appointment to the partnership reflects both her technical track record and her broader contribution to client relationships, business development and team leadership across the region. All 20 of the firm’s most recent senior appointments in the region were internal promotions, strengthening the senior team across Manchester and Liverpool.
Pete Terry, Grant Thornton’s practice lead for the North West of the UK, said, “Zeenat’s promotion is exactly the kind of appointment that will help us deliver on our growth ambitions in the North West. She combines deep audit expertise with a genuine commitment to client service and team development and she has already demonstrated what it takes to build lasting relationships in this market. The North West is a region with real momentum, and we need partners who can lead with confidence and help shape what comes next. Zeenat does that.”
Grant Thornton UK’s North West practice spans offices in Manchester and Liverpool, with a team of more than 500 professionals. The firm has stated ambitious growth plans for the region, with recent senior appointments designed to add capacity across all service lines and build what it describes as the most collaborative senior bench in the North West – following a major investment in the national company by private equity firm Cinven.
