James Peko has been promoted to national managing principal of Grant Thornton LLP’s Corporate Advisory & Restructuring Services practice.

“Jim has been an integral part of the transition of our business model to one that best serves the needs of the complex and global marketplace,” Steve Lukens, national managing principal of Grant Thornton’s Advisory Services, said in a statement. “His combined expertise with restructuring and the structuring of investments made by financial services and private equity organizations allows him to assist clients of the firm—both in the United States and internationally—with highly unique and challenging situations.”

Peko has been a principal with the firm for more than six years and currently serves in the Corporate Advisory & Restructuring Services practice. He has more than 24 years’ experience in capital markets and restructuring serving companies in transition for the last 12 years. His career path has led him to be the first vice president in the corporate finance group at The Nikko Securities Co. International Inc., where he managed more than 100 financings for issuers, including Disney, Hewlett Packard, the entity formerly known as General Motors Acceptance Corporation, Ford Motor Credit Corporation, Intel Corporation, Argentina, Columbia, Mexico and Uruguay.

Peko advised a number of clients in industries ranging from airline, automotive, engineering and construction, financial services, gaming, hospitality, manufacturing, media, real estate, retail, technology and utility.

In addition, Peko is a member of the Association of Insolvency & Restructuring Advisors, CFA Institute, Turnaround Management Association, and the American Bankruptcy Institute for which he also serves as an editor of its Financial Advisor and Investment Banking Committee Newsletter.

Peko is also a chartered financial analyst, certified insolvency and restructuring advisor, holds a certification in distressed business valuation, and is a FINRA general securities registered representative – Series 7.