Grant Thornton takes on media specialist
9 Feb 10
Grant Thornton UK has boosted its media sector team with the acquisition of specialist firm Aulren, the market leader in the film royalty auditing business
Aulren, which has been auditing royalty and distribution agreements for major film studios for the last eight years, will continue to operate as a stand-alone brand, Grant Thornton says but will offer access to Grant Thornton's wider service capability, including international tax consultancy.
The deal boosts Grant Thornton and Aulren's position and expertise in the media sector, one of Grant Thornton's core sectors. Aulren was founded in 2002 and performs audits of royalty and distribution agreements and other consulting projects on behalf of filmed entertainment rights holders. Clients include Twentieth Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros and Focus Features International.
Welcoming the Aulren team, Grant Thornton CEO Scott Barnes said: "It is great news that Aulren is joining us. Building our expertise in sectors where we are already strong is a key part of Grant Thornton's strategy and adding Aulren's specialist knowledge and reach in the media sector strengthens our existing capability. The team gives us a sharper cutting edge overall as we continue to grow our presence in the sector.
"This business complements our existing service offering to the media sector, not only in film and television, but also to the music and publishing sectors. With the expansion of content ownership, the provision of an effective royalty auditing service is essential to ensure that our clients are maximising value when exploiting their rights."
Head of Aulren, Paul Milledge, said: "I am excited at the opportunities that being part of Grant Thornton provides and in bringing a new capability to their services. Aulren is recognised as the leading firm in the field but it can only benefit our clients to have access to the services of Grant Thornton in the UK and across the Grant Thornton International network. It's a very attractive proposition for many film businesses."