Grant Thornton bolsters public sector consulting business with new partner
Leading business and financial advisor Grant Thornton UK has strengthened its public sector consulting business with the appointment of Amanda Askham as Partner.
Amanda brings nearly three decades of consulting and public sector leadership experience to the firm. She started her career in consulting before spending more than 20 years in local government, where she held multiple senior positions leading change and transformation. Most recently, as Strategic Director at Ealing Council, she led a whole-council transformation which spanned organisational and operating model redesign, workforce and service improvement, along with research and insight.
Amanda has a strong track record of helping organisations translate financial and strategic pressures into practical and sustainable change. She has also worked as a Policy Fellow at the University of Cambridge, bringing together policy thinking and practical public service experience.
In her role as Partner, Amanda will lead the firm’s local government transformation and organisational design offering. Her appointment will strengthen the firm’s ability to support councils in turning the case for change into action, reshaping organisations and services so that change is embedded and sustained.
Commenting on her appointment, Amanda Askham said:
“Local government is entering one of the most significant periods of change it has faced in years. Sustained financial pressure and the need to rethink how services are delivered means councils need advisors who understand the reality of change from the inside.
“Having spent over two decades working within the sector, I know Grant Thornton's reputation from the client side and the rigour and impact of its work. Joining the firm now means I can bring my experience to a much broader range of organisations, at exactly the point when it can make the most difference.”
Phillip Woolley, Head of Public Sector Consulting, Grant Thornton UK, added:
“Amanda is recognised across the sector as a leading voice on local government transformation and a trusted advisor to councils navigating local government reorganisation and change. Having sat on the other side of the table from us, Amanda brings critical insights as she knows exactly what good consulting support looks like and where it can fall short. That perspective is only going to make us better.”
Grant Thornton’s public sector business has already seen 44 promotions and 54 external hires this year, including 7 partners and 8 directors, highlighting the firm’s commitment to investing in senior talent to support the country’s public services.
It builds upon the firm’s wider target of hiring 160 new partners by the end of 2027, with over 100 new partners appointed or in the pipeline to join already this year.