Grant Thornton is said to study options for $2 billion India unit

Grant Thornton International Ltd. is considering options for its Indian unit, including a possible minority stake sale or a merger with its operations in the US or Europe, according to a senior executive in India.

“We have the opportunity to either align to GT’s global PE-backed platform or to raise private equity capital directly,” Vishesh Chandiok, head of Grant Thornton Bharat, said in an interview in Mumbai, highlighting interest from buyout firms in professional services.

Preliminary discussions are being held with New Mountain Capital, a backer of Grant Thornton in the US, and Cinven, which has invested in the European business, Chandiok said.

Grant Thornton Bharat would seek a valuation of over $2 billion in a merger or stake sale, he said, adding that the Indian side would be the largest shareholder in a merged entity.

Chandiok said opportunities are being evaluated as the company tries to become a global leader, in line with the Indian government’s goal of having accounting and consulting firms to rival the so-called Big Four of Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Grant Thornton offers services including tax, regulatory, advisory and auditing. Its Indian business employs more than 12,000 people covering 28 industries, according to its website.