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UPDATE

A message from our CEO

Hisham Farouk Hisham Farouk

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

In response to the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the spread of COVID-19 as a pandemic, Grant Thornton UAE has implemented a number of actions to help protect the health and wellbeing of our people, clients and communities in line with the guidelines issued by the UAE Government.

We have put into effect a business continuity plan to prioritize the protection of the health and safety of our stakeholders. Adhering to this tenet is more important now than ever. The plan ensures that we are being proactive in safeguarding the wellbeing of everyone that we interact with through this turbulent period, while remaining fully functional in all capacities.

The Grant Thornton leadership team has initiated a number of protocols to help effectively manage the evolving situation. Our team is discussing the situation on a daily, and in many instances, hourly basis, as we remain vigilant to the changing circumstances.

We have implemented certain changes to our business practices with the aim of reducing the impact on our day-to-day activities and our ability to service our clients. These include:

Availability:

We endeavor to operate as normal with our existing clients and are taking on new projects for those clients in need of consulting during this unique time. With an existing global network, this transition required very few shifts in our existing workflows.

Remote Working:
Our remote working infrastructure provides our employees with both hardware and software solutions, allowing our teams to continue providing valuable services to our clients with minimal disruptions, if any. We will continue to focus on the confidentiality of the work being done for our clients.

Safety:
We are committed to preserving our employees’ and the community’s health, welfare, and ability to perform their roles. All of our staff have been made aware of how to look out for COVID-19 symptoms and the process that follows to seek medical advice in line with the Ministry of Health’s guidelines.

Travel:
We have placed a temporary moratorium on business-related flights, and have advised our staff to limit their personal travel plans where possible.

We remain committed to the safety of our people, clients and communities, and are confident that the steps introduced will avoid any material disruptions to the services you receive from Grant Thornton UAE. In the meantime, we will continue to make informed and measured decisions in our approach to dealing with the crisis.

Should you have any questions or concerns relating to any work performed by Grant Thornton UAE during this time, or would like to discuss the potential implications on your business as a result, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Thank you.