Grant Thornton Australia appoints new national head of forensic consulting

Grant Thornton Australia has appointed Paul Fontanot (pictured) as its national head of forensic consulting.

He commenced in the role on 25 September following the departure of his predecessor in the role, Alex Bell, who led the team for five years.

Bell will remain with Grant Thornton, focusing on litigation and payroll remediation services.

Stepping into his role, Fontanot will oversee the firm’s national forensics group, supporting its work with clients on complex commercial and regulatory matters.

Fontanot has more than 28 years of experience across accounting, consulting and law.

Since October 2025, Fontanot has served as a partner at Grant Thornton Australia and previously led EY’s forensic practice and built a forensic team at Clayton Utz.

During his seven-year tenure at Clayton Utz as partner and national practice group leader, Fontanot led multidisciplinary teams comprising accountants, data scientists, mathematicians, IT developers, engineers, and lawyers.

Fontanot said his priorities would include developing the practice’s capabilities and people.

“It is exciting to step into this leadership role at Grant Thornton and build on the strong reputation Alex has established over many years. I look forward to working with the team to deepen our forensic capabilities, support the development of our people and help clients respond to complex challenges with clarity and confidence,” said Paul Fontanot, partner at Grant Thornton.

“With a goal to shape better futures, we want our clients to make informed decisions that strengthen their organisations through data-driven insights,” Fontanot said.

“My time leading the Forensic Consulting team for the last 5 years has been a privilege, and I’m thrilled to see Paul take on this leadership role. With more than 28 years’ experience across accounting, consulting and law, he is well placed to drive the practice’s continued growth and inspire the next generation of forensic accountants,” said Alex Bell, partner and outgoing head of forensic consulting at Grant Thornton.

This follows the firm’s appointment of a new not-for-profit national leader in September, and a majority vote by Grant Thornton Australia partners to complete a $1 billion buyout agreement with multinational platform Grant Thornton Advisors LLC in August.