Gayle Dickerson

“Grant Thornton is one of the few firms that has really supported women in advisory, restructuring and insolvency.”

What drew you to working at Grant Thornton?

I was impressed with the people I met during the interview process. Other firms focused on background and technical skills, but GT asked about me as a person and my interests outside of accountancy.

What do you like most about working at Grant Thornton?

For me, it’s the autonomy to cultivate your own career and pursue your passion. The firm provides the tools for development, training and international opportunities, but it’s up to you to decide what to do with it.

You started with Grant Thornton in 2001 – could you tell me a bit about your career progression here?

After qualifying in London, I was keen to move internationally, so I jumped at the opportunity to take a two-year secondment in the Sydney office – and that was 10 years ago.

I’ve since worked at ASIC for a year on secondment, and with Grant Thornton International helping the Australian firms nationalise and the APC firms develop their capabilities. I’m now a leader of the firm’s retail industry team, which is a big role, as I have the freedom to evolve the business as I see fit.

Do you think these opportunities have lent your career some momentum?

Certainly – I became a partner quite early on and my broad experience and skillset helped me get there. And not just technical experience – being a partner is as much about leading a team, winning business, engaging with clients and sharing your knowledge. As accounting and compliance processes become increasingly automated, connecting with your client and understanding their business will become more important to success in this industry.

What do you like about Grant Thornton’s culture?

I love how team-oriented and collaborative it is. You really do work together here – it’s much more about the power of the pride than lone hunters, which is a powerful thing, and something I don’t think you often find in professional services firms.

What are your impressions of Grant Thornton’s approach to diversity?

I’m one of only a handful of women registered to practice insolvency in Australia. There are around 1,000 practitioners in the country, but only a few are female.

There is definitely not as much diversity as there could be in the accounting world, but Grant Thornton is one of the few firms that has really supported women in advisory, restructuring and insolvency. We’re showing the industry and clients that women can do this job just as well, but also bring other valuable skills, such as emotional intelligence, to the restructuring table.

As a team leader, I’ve also found diversity helps drive innovation. Working in a team, you need a range of perspectives to deliver innovative solutions and service to clients. Having people from different generations, cultural backgrounds and genders helps you to do that – it’s a fact that this leads to a high performing team.

What’s the most valuable or enriching experience you’ve had working at Grant Thornton?

I recently took part in the global advanced management program, which is an 18-month leadership course – kind of an internal mini-MBA.

I was one of 60 managers from around the world that met three times in different cities – Shanghai, Miami and Stockholm – with the purpose of strengthening Grant Thornton International’s global community.

It was enlightening meeting like-minded peers from other offices and gave me a network of people in pretty much every part of the world who I can turn to for help if the need arises.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

Many things – I wanted to be a journalist, a political speechwriter, a storyteller. I’m passionate about the power of the written word and the impact it can have on people’s lives. That’s one of the things I enjoy most about accounting – it’s not about the numbers on the page, it’s about what they mean and about unravelling or telling that story. So perhaps I didn’t stray too far from my early goals.

What advice would you offer to your 21-year-old self starting out at Grant Thornton?

Seize the opportunities as you go. Don’t limit yourself to one team or division – it’s about working out solutions for our clients, not limiting ourselves to a service line. Work out what you’re passionate about, pursue it, and you’ll be successful. And have some fun along the way!