Grant Thornton is to launch an employee benefits consultancy to provide employee remuneration and pension advice and arrangements to larger pension funds, SMEs and professional firms.

Grant Thornton's Employee Benefits Consultancy (which has been directly authorised by the FSA) will assist employers and employees by designing benefit and reward structures and pension scheme restructuring,

It will also focus on harmonisation of cross- border benefits including qualifying regulated overseas pensions schemes, and  offshore pension planning for employees of multinational employers.

Ian Hartnell, head of employee benefits at Grant Thornton Benefits Consultancy, said: "I am delighted to be leading this exciting new business opportunity for the firm. In an increasingly globalised world where the worldwide talent pools are growing more competitive, we are witnessing employers struggling with numerous issues surrounding staff retention.

"We are well positioned to provide a comprehensive employee benefits package that meets the demands of today's employers including employer-sponsored pension arrangements."