Syndie joined Grant Thornton as a graduate in 2016, drawn by a love of learning, problem solving and understanding how organisations work. Although she had originally planned to be a maths teacher, she realised towards the end of university that teaching was not the right fit and began exploring other ways to use her maths degree. Audit stood out for its structured development and insight into how businesses operate, and it became the starting point of her career at the firm.
Since then, Syndie’s career has evolved from audit and tax into Inclusion and Diversity, where she now applies the professional skills she developed in client-facing roles. Today, she plays a key role in embedding inclusion across the business and has contributed to Grant Thornton being recognised as a Stonewall Trailblazer through the Proud Employers’ accreditation.
Building strong foundations in Audit and Tax
I began my career in audit, training towards my ACA qualification. Those early years were incredibly formative. The exams were challenging, and passing the ACA remains one of my proudest achievements. It taught me resilience, discipline and how to stay focused during periods of intense pressure.
After qualifying, I moved into the corporate tax team on secondment. What I expected to be a short-term move turned into more than four years, progressing into assistant manager and then manager roles. I worked with a wide range of clients and colleagues, which strengthened both my technical capability and my people skills.
People often see audit and tax as purely technical disciplines, but they are very relationship-driven roles. You need to build trust quickly, communicate clearly and work effectively with a wide range of people.
“People often think audit and tax are purely technical, but they are very relationship-driven roles. Those experiences honed the people expertise I now use every day in my Inclusion and Diversity work.”
Discovering where I could make a difference
Alongside my client‑facing work, I became increasingly involved in the LGBTQIA+ Network and wider inclusion activity. I found myself drawn to creating positive change and helping colleagues feel more confident and supported at work.
In 2022, a secondment opportunity came up to work part-time within the Inclusion and Diversity team. I applied, and my people manager encouraged me to take it while balancing my tax responsibilities. That support meant a lot and demonstrated that inclusion work was valued across the firm.
What began as a one‑year secondment became a permanent shift in my career direction. In April 2024, I became a full-time Inclusion and Diversity Manager.
It has always been important to me that my professional experience is recognised alongside my identity. I am a chartered accountant who understands the realities of exams, client deadlines and busy teams, and I use that experience to make inclusion practical and relevant.
“I am a chartered accountant who understands the pressures of exams, client deadlines and busy teams, and that experience helps me make inclusion practical and relevant.”
What my role looks like now
My role spans Grant Thornton’s five strands of inclusion: LGBTQIA+, disability, ethnicity, gender and social mobility. Each strand has its own priorities, but my focus is on creating alignment, consistency and meaningful progress across the business.
A large part of my work involves people data, governance and reporting, ensuring that inclusion activity is evidence-based and measurable. I also work closely with service lines through our business partnering model, supporting leaders and managers with inclusive leadership, recruitment practices and everyday people challenges.
Alongside this, I play an active role in supporting inclusive processes and policies across the firm. I work closely with colleagues in People and policy teams to help ensure our systems, policies and ways of working are fair, accessible and inclusive in practice, not just on paper. This includes contributing subject-matter expertise on areas such as inclusive recruitment, legal requirements and employment policy changes.
No two days are the same, and that variety is what energises me. I enjoy combining analytical thinking with people-focused problem solving and helping to translate inclusive principles into practical actions that make a real difference for our people.
Becoming a Stonewall Trailblazer
A recent highlight has been Grant Thornton achieving Stonewall’s Trailblazer status – the highest accolade in their Proud Employers’ accreditation for LGBTQIA+ inclusion. This recognition reflects years of work across the business, from our network working group, to our policy specialists, recruitment leads and SLT sponsors.
For me, being a Trailblazer matters because it demonstrates our commitment to making real progress across all areas of the business, not just talking about it.
Extending our impact beyond the firm
Inclusion is not only about what happens internally. Through the Grant Thornton Foundation, we support the Albert Kennedy Trust, a charity that helps LGBTQIA+ young people who are homeless or living in unsafe environments. Being able to contribute to the Albert Kennedy Trust’s work is something I am particularly proud of, as it reflects our values in action and allows our people to have tangible, real-world social impact.
Why I choose Grant Thornton
Although I am proud of the external recognition we have received, the moments that stay with me are the conversations where colleagues tell me how something we introduced has helped them feel more comfortable or confident at work. Those moments remind me why this work matters.
My career journey at Grant Thornton has not been linear, and that is one of the reasons I value it. I have been able to grow, change direction and build a career that reflects both what I am good at and what I care about. I am proud to be part of creating a culture where others can do the same.