Grant Thornton Ties Partner Bonuses to AI Success

Grant Thornton has introduced a novel performance metric linking partner bonuses to their successful adoption and advocacy of artificial intelligence tools. This strategic shift, spearheaded by Tom Puthiyamadam, the new US head of advisory, aims to accelerate AI integration throughout the firm.

Partners now have new annual goals, evaluated holistically alongside existing financial and quality standards. While standard performance metrics remain crucial, AI adoption is now a non-negotiable component of partner evaluations. Failure to demonstrate AI engagement will negatively impact bonuses.

This approach targets partners first, with the expectation that their commitment will cascade down, influencing mid-level managers, often termed the "frozen middle," who may resist new technologies. Puthiyamadam believes incentivizing senior leadership will drive widespread adoption.

Puthiyamadam joined Grant Thornton in April 2025, seeking to build a dominant firm in the mid-market sector, serving clients with revenues between $500 million and $10 billion. In his first year, the advisory business grew significantly from $680 million to $1.5 billion globally.

The firm is investing heavily in AI and deals, enhancing due diligence capabilities and acquiring talent with digital expertise. Recent hires include nearly 40 partners from competitor firms, all possessing a "digital backbone," reinforcing the company's tech-centric strategy. This aggressive commercial model, supported by AI-driven efficiency and expanded client capacity, positions Grant Thornton for significant market share growth.