Jim Peko

Executive summary

Jim Peko is the chief operating officer (COO) at Grant Thornton and a member of the Executive Committee at Grant Thornton Advisors LLC. He most recently served as national managing principal of the firm’s Advisory Services practice, where he oversaw the strategic direction and operations of the firm’s advisory-services offerings.

Peko has nearly 30 years of experience providing clients with financial advisory services focused on improving performance and building long-term sustainable value. Before his more recent role, Peko was the national managing principal of Transaction Services, where he guided a wide range of clients through a variety of complex transactions. He has served as a member of the firm’s Partnership Board and is a member of the board of directors for the American Bankruptcy Institute. He is chartered financial analyst, a certified insolvency and restructuring advisor and certified in distressed business valuation. Peko received a master’s of business administration degree in finance from Fordham University and a bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting from St. Peter’s College.

In 2013, Peko was selected for the Turnarounds & Workouts’ People to Watch – Business Professionals Making Their Mark” award. Most recently, Consulting magazine named him a “Top 25 Consultant” for 2018. This annual listing, which recognizes the 25 professionals who are making the greatest impact within the consulting industry, profiled Peko for his “Excellence in Leadership.”

Professional qualifications and memberships

• Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)
• Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA)
• Certification in Distressed Business Valuation (CDBV)
• FINRA General Securities Registered Representative, Series 7
• FINRA Investment Banking Representative, Series 79
• FINRA General Securities Principal, Series 24
• FINRA Uniform Securities Agent State Law exam, Series 63
• Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• CFA Institute
• Turnaround Management Association
• Bankruptcy Strategist, Editorial Board

Presentations and publications

• Author, “Key Consideration in Restructuring a Gaming Company,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Financial Advisors Committee Newsletter, January 2010.
• Co-author, “Eyeing the Pile-up: Subprime Mortgage Industry,” American Bankruptcy Institute, Finance and Banking e-Newsletter, August 2007.
• Co-author, “Have Recent Bankruptcy Code Amendments Materially Affected Case Strategy?” Daily Bankruptcy Review, April 12, 2006.
• Co-author, “Maximizing Recoveries for Unsecured Creditors,” Daily Bankruptcy Review Small Cap, June 29, 2005.

Education

• MBA, Finance, Fordham University
• BS, Economics, Accounting, St. Peter’s College