Accountancy firm Grant Thornton's member firms have been ranked first place in US audit rankings by the Public Accounting Report's annual audit rankings in 2008, the first time a non-Big Four firm has achieved such a ranking. Rankings are measured by audit wins and losses of the major global accounting networks in the US throughout the year. Grant Thornton US bagged the top spot for having five audit engagement wins for companies with over $1bn annual revenue and 24 successful pitches against Big Four firms. Meanwhile, GT UK maintained its leadership position for companies listed on AIM, as it audits over 200 AIM companies, more than any other audit firm. Grant Thornton UK chief executive officer Scott Barnes, told Accountancy last month that the firm is now focused on breaking down the 'institutional acceptance issues' that prevent non-Big Four firms from winning FTSE audits.