Jim Peko / Grant Thornton
Excellence in Leadership
When it comes to his consulting accomplishments, Jim Peko says he is most proud of three things—people, people and people. "Being a leader means mentoring teammates so they too can become leaders," he says. "Grant Thornton excels at that as an organization and it is extremely satisfying."
To use a baseball analogy, Peko says the firm is developing "five tool" players that deliver exceptional results for clients. "It makes me proud to help develop my teammates and serve in my own role as a "five-tool" player," he says. "Leading can be hard. You have to take educated risks and act decisively. I make sure I have as much information and perspective as possible before making difficult and important decisions. I have always been willing to lead from the front, raise the tough issues and be direct with my teams. Authenticity is important; it creates a level of trust that is the basis for strong relationships."
Peko is the National Managing Principal of the Transaction Services practice at Grant Thornton. He also serves as a Member of the Partnership Board. He has served various constituencies, including companies, private equity firms, lender groups, and creditor committees.
Peko has more than 25 years of experience in providing clients financial advisory, investment banking and capital markets services. He specializes in assisting companies in transition including those with financial and operational challenges. Peko has participated in over 150 transactions with an aggregate value in excess of $60 billion.
From a firm perspective, he says Grant Thornton's biggest achievement was a fundamental one—significant growth.
"We accomplished this by creating integrated offerings for the entire transaction lifecycle—a move that enabled us to grow faster than the market. And it allowed us to create a stronger customer experience for our clients," Peko says. "I'm equally proud of Grant Thornton's collaborative and effective culture, which allows us to efficiently create customized client solutions."
Peko says he loves solving problems and creating value for clients. "It's fun at Grant Thornton because of the outstanding team of motivated professionals that challenge each other every day. It makes for a high-performing environment," he says. "Most importantly, I am motivated by my family: They are supportive and have a keen interest in my work; it powers me to do my best."
Consulting is an extremely satisfying profession, he says. "I get to work with and create value for a broad array of clients across industries that have complex challenges, from operational difficulties to regulatory concerns," Peko says. "Plus, Grant Thornton services a full range of client needs. It means a lot that we can keep clients ahead of pressing tax and accounting issues. And it keeps me both curious and informed as a consultant."
Q&A: What does winning the Top 25 award mean to you, your firm and your clients?
Peko: "For me, this award is about the great people that surround me every day. It's also great to be recognized among such a distinguished group of professionals—it's certainly humbling. And it's proof that Grant Thornton is taking clients from status quo to 'status go.' But we'll never be satisfied. We're already angling to win more awards next year!"
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