It was just five years ago that Grant Thornton, the globally recognised accountancy firm, dipped its toes in the water of customised management education. But today David McDonnell, chief executive of Grant Thornton International, is planning a range of programmes for everyone, from top dogs down to new recruits.

The impetus for this has been a change in the business the accountancy firm is attracting, says Mr McDonnell – in particular the growing demand for work from global companies, crossing international boundaries. “In a business like ours you have a choice: you retreat into doing local business or you embrace it [globali­sation].”