Grant Thornton, a brand of professionals providing end-to-end audit, assurance, tax and advisory services, named Rick Surett as its new chief financial officer. He will succeed Muhammad Bhayat, who is retiring after more than 20 years at Grant Thornton.
Surett officially steps into the CFO role on June 2. He is an accomplished financial executive with nearly 30 years of experience across private equity backed companies, public markets and complex capital structures.
“Rick brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective that will help us continue driving value for our clients and our people — especially now, as we expand our multinational platform from America across Europe and into the Middle East,” Jim Peko, CEO of Grant Thornton, said. “At the same time, Muhammad’s tenure at Grant Thornton has been a foundational part of this firm and he has made an immeasurable impact on our people and our business.”
Before joining Grant Thornton, Surett served as CFO of Transportation Equipment Network, a full-service trailer leasing company in North America, where he significantly improved operational efficiency and scalability. He also held a series of leadership roles at Ports America, including CFO, and previously served as director of corporate development at Avaya.
Surett expressed enthusiasm about stepping into the role and continuing to build on the firm’s legacy of innovation and growth.
“Joining Grant Thornton as CFO will mean partnering with our exceptional teams across the organization to strengthen our financial strategy and support the firm’s continued momentum,” Surett said. “I can’t wait to get started.”
Surett earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Siena College in Loudonville, NY, and an MBA in finance from the State University of New York at Albany.
