Scaleup Vlaanderen
Grant Thornton new partner of Scaleup Vlaanderen
Business advisor Grant Thornton Belgium is now a partner of Scaleup Vlaanderen. An interview with Iwert Goossens, Director in the CFO-as-a-Service department.
Grant Thornton Belgium is a full-service business advisory firm with extensive expertise in accountancy, audit, tax & legal and advisory. From six branches in Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Turnhout, Tournai and Jumet, some 220 experts assist companies with business advice in the broad sense. As a member of Grant Thornton International, one of the world's largest networks of independent audit, tax and advisory organizations with over 68,000 professionals in more than 145 countries, they combine international expertise with knowledge of the local market.
"We have a highly multidisciplinary team. Together we help dynamic organizations achieve their strategic ambitions," says Iwert Goossens, Director CFO-as-a-Service at Grant Thornton. "Whether you want to finance the growth of your company, optimize your operations or create added value for your stakeholders, our multidisciplinary team is there for you."
Because Grant Thornton's services are relevant to all sectors, a range of companies come knocking on our door. 'We work for everyone, from startups to multinationals. With CFO-as-a-Service, on the other hand, we focus mainly on scale-ups and SMEs,' it sounds. 'They have enormous challenges to survive. We find that these companies often do not have the specific know-how in-house to grow further," he stresses.
"Our CFOs help scale-ups and SMEs with their tax, legal and business-specific concerns. Their needs are very diverse and range from setting up or optimizing financial processes, supporting strategic decisions to cash flow management, grant applications or refinancing. As CFO, we try to unburden the CEO about the entire business," says Goossens.
By properly reviewing finances, entrepreneurs are stronger and can grow smarter. 'Growth doesn't necessarily mean the same thing for every company. It depends on your goals and needs. It may be that sales are increasing, but that growth does not pay off for the business in the long run,' Goossens explains. 'That's why it's important to have a good view of the numbers and invest in the right things. Within our network, we also know investors who can bring capital on board. In that case, we help to structure their financial department. This gives them reliable reports for their various stakeholders.'
When Grant Thornton joins a company, it often involves long-term collaborations of one to two days a week. 'This allows us to build a personal relationship with the CEO and become a closer part of the team. Thanks to us entrepreneurs can learn from other experts’ perspectives and approaches. We know which programs are used in which industry, know the needs of entrepreneurs and can add value from day one. As an entrepreneur, you not only get an experienced CFO, but also the team of experts within the organization in Belgium and within the international network. We are pleased that as a partner of Scaleup Vlaanderen, we can now support entrepreneurs who are at a tipping point.
