Despite some slowdown, demand for senior hires stays high globally, and we are seeing some extremely exciting acquisitions and partnerships. We feature movements in banking featuring UBS and Credit Suisse, while consulting players like Accenture and Capgemini hone in on their IT and other digital projects.
As always, more promotions, moves, and market intelligence below.
People Moves
KPMG UK has appointed Oxana Miroshnichenko, who joins from Avon, as a Partner in its People and Change practice. She will be leading the development of the firm’s digital HR offering.
James Nicholson has been appointed as the new leader of strategy at EY-Parthenon, taking over from Matt Robb (who will take on the role of Global EY-Parthenon Education leader). The company has also welcomed Nick Feingold and Lluis Borrell as partners. Nicholson joined EY in 2014 from Roland Berger and was most recently the sector leader of energy transition.
Dereck Ji is the new Managing Partner of Arthur D. Little’s China business, joining the Shanghai office to lead the Strategy & Organization practice. He has over 30 years of experience in the public sector, real estate, ESG, carbon neutrality, city development, and regional economic development, and has worked extensively with Chinese SOEs.
Alvarez & Marsal have welcomed Senior Director Alexandre Lemoine and Associate Director Selma Elmadhi in France to contribute to the company’s growth and development of new services for clients. Alexandre, from KPMG, has extensive experience in modeling and valuation, specializing in renewable energy and industry sectors. Selma, from Capgemini, has expertise in valuation and business modeling, assisting corporates with various corporate finance needs.
Mike Hyne has joined PA Consulting‘s health wing as a Partner from Deloitte, bringing over 25 years of experience in Healthcare consulting. He will focus on expanding the company’s Healthcare practice and driving growth in the UK and internationally.
Sam Gidoomal joins A&M as Managing Director for the Portfolio Advisory Group in the Middle East, from Interpath Advisory in London, bringing over 25 years of experience in banking, asset quality, non-performing loan management, and consulting.
Life Sciences and Healthcare consulting firm Vintura has appointed three new Partners in its Dutch and French offices. Aart Willem Saly and Anita Mikulic have been appointed Partners in the Netherlands, while Matthias Bucher has been promoted to partner at Cepton, which merged with Vintura in 2020. Saly and Mikulic had previously worked at a Big Four firm.
Sarah Ishak has joined A&M‘s EMEA Digital Strategy team as Director from IBM, bringing over 15 years of experience working with corporates and PE clients. She specializes in driving growth and value through innovation, new business model creation, scaled agility, and ideation through scale.
Craig Wymant joins Kroll as Chief People Officer. Wymant will lead the global HR function, supporting the firm’s people strategy and building on its culture. He has previously worked at the London Stock Exchange and Refinitiv in Operating and People roles.
Clément Dekemexhe joins EY Law Real Estate in Belgium as Counsel focusing on Corporate Law in this space. He comes across from Ashurst.
KPMG has promoted Nagaraj Uchil and Rajiv Maloo to Partner in the Middle East, namely in the Lower Gulf region (KPMG’s organisation for the UAE and Oman markets). They will be based in the United Arab Emirates and work in the firm’s Advisory and Tax practices, respectively.
Air France-KLM’s former CEO Alexandre de Juniac has joined Oliver Wyman as a Senior Advisor to its Aviation practice. He brings extensive experience in the Aviation industry, having led the French flag carrier for four years and served as the Chairman of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) from 2016 to 2020.
Kroll announces the appointment of Torsten Duwenhorst as the new Regional Managing Director for Asia Pacific in the Data Insights and Forensics (DIF) practice, based in Singapore. He brings across extensive experience in data analytics and legal technology consulting (formerly at Control Risks, Exiger).
Arthur D. Little has added Emilio Saavedra, from EY in Spain, and Pierre Peladeau, from Strategy& in France, as Partners. Saavedra will focus on (digital) supply chain and operations, while Peladeau will be responsible for the firm’s TIME practice.
Jochen Bechtold has been appointed as the new Managing Director of Capgemini Engineering in Germany, succeeding Werner Ferreira da Silva, who has assumed responsibility for the Northern Europe region.
Houlihan Lokey has hired David Kelnar as a Managing Director and global co-head of its new disruptive technologies group, which will focus on helping companies within the technology industry that are disrupting traditional business models, as well as those facing disruption.
Kai Karring and Florian Revellat have joined Eight Advisory‘s Partner team in Zurich. Previously Managing Director and Director at AFRY Management Consulting, they will now focus on expanding Eight Advisory’s strategic and commercial due diligence services in the energy and infrastructure sector.
Mathew Hazenberg has joined Accuracy from PwC as a Director to expand its Project Advisory and Disputes team in the Middle East. The team advises clients on how to optimize their projects in the built environment, bring distressed projects back on track, and resolve disputes.
Simon Vessey has been appointed as a Partner at Arthur D. Little in the UK, coming across from CVA, where he was Partner and Head of the London office. With almost 30 years of experience, Vessey will join the firm’s global automotive practice and advise clients on strategy and customer insight-led revenue growth, with a focus on future mobility and distribution challenges faced by automakers.
Joe Macklin-Gray has joined A&M Taxand from Deloitte as Senior Director to expand the firm’s Financial Investors Group in London. With 19 years of experience in UK and international taxation, Macklin-Gray will advise alternative fund managers on tax implications related to fund structuring and alternative investments, with a focus on infrastructure funds.
Capgemini Invent has appointed Thomas Neuer as Vice President for Insurance Innovation & Transformation in Germany, from Xempus AG. With almost 30 years of consulting and technology experience, Neuer will bring his expertise to Capgemini Invent’s insurance innovation and transformation department.
Megan Greene will join the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) on 5 July, replacing Professor Silvana Tenreyro for a 3-year term. Greene is the Global Chief Economist at Kroll, with significant experience advising leaders on the potential impacts of global macroeconomic developments and a broad understanding of international financial markets.
Florian Leka, a Senior Director in A&M‘s Economic Consulting practice in Boston with 19 years of experience, has joined A&M’s Disputes and Investigations team from AlixPartners. He specializes in economic and financial analyses for commercial litigation and international arbitration.
PwC has added three technology-focused Partners to its consulting practice in the Netherlands: Vincent le Noble, Tommy Mars, and Pascal Mannot. Le Noble brings 18 years of experience from IBM and Capgemini Invent, Mars has experience in industrial and consumer goods, and Mannot will focus on technology consultancy and digital transformations for the public sector.
Toshihiro Ariki has been elected as a Partner in Arthur D. Little‘s Automotive & Manufacturing Practice in Tokyo. With experience since 2008, he specializes in innovative concepts such as MaaS, Electro-Mobility, and RaaS, using his knowledge of domestic and international market trends to contribute to the practice.
Pierre Gauthier has joined Eight Advisory as a Partner in the CFO Advisory team, from EY, to strengthen the firm’s Finance Transformation Practice. He brings extensive experience in financial transformation and advisory services to the role.
Horváth & Partners has announced the promotion of seven new Partners across its various offices worldwide, including four in Germany, one in Switzerland, one in Austria, and one in Hungary. The new Partners bring extensive experience in management consulting and industry expertise to the firm.
Kroll has hired Paul Haworth from Begbies Traynor and Sarah Colledge from Moorfields to expand its compliance and risk function. They will join the company’s restructuring advisory practice, bringing a combined 40 years of experience to the role.
Luis Del Barrio has been elected as a Partner in Arthur D. Little‘s Energy & Utilities Practice. He leads the energy practice in Spain, focusing on decarbonization, digitalization, and decentralization. With over 17 years of experience in the energy sector, he provides innovative approaches and solutions to support companies during the energy transition.
Blair Nimmo and Alistair McAlinden from Interpath Advisory have been appointed joint provisional liquidators for Stewart & Shields Ltd, a long-standing family-founded business in Helensburgh that recently collapsed, leading to the loss of 15 jobs.
Gaurav Patel has joined Alvarez & Marsal‘s Global Transaction Advisory Group from KPMG as a Senior Director in Toronto. With 20 years of experience working in multiple countries, Patel is expected to bring growth and expertise to the A&M business.
Credit Suisse‘s head of web3 investment banking, Chris McMillan in New York, is leaving to join TAP Advisors as Managing Director and Head of Technology, where he will focus on internet applications related to blockchain.
Houlihan Lokey expands Benelux operations with a senior hire. David Theys will join, from Nielen Schuman, as Managing Director at the investment bank’s new Antwerp office.
Arthur D. Little has elected Philipp Mudersbach as a Partner in their Technology & Innovation Management (TIM) Practice. Based in Frankfurt, Philipp has been part of the TIM Practice since 2018, working with clients in various industries to implement cutting-edge technologies and address strategic issues.
Capgemini Invent has hired Frank Arnold as Vice President for Supply Chain Transformation, strengthening its management and digitization consultancy. Arnold joins from SCM consultancy Camelot Management Consultants and will be based in the Cologne office.
FTI Consulting has expanded its aviation practice with the addition of a team focused on human capital. The team includes six senior professionals (Jasper Schrijver, Christopher Jacobi, Elena Zhiguleva, and Vikashini Kumar) who specialize in leadership development, talent management, and organizational design, and will support the aviation practice’s clients in the industry.
James Taylor has been appointed as Regional Head of Construction Disputes for Kroll’s Asia Pacific region. Based in Singapore, he will be responsible for the growth of the construction disputes team in the region.
Irene Macchiarelli is appointed as Partner in the Energy & Utilities Practice at ADL in Italy. Based in Rome, she specializes in the utilities sector, particularly in smart meter roll-out strategies and energy transition evaluation frameworks. She also co-leads the Energy Competence Center on Networks & Infrastructure and has taken on responsibility for the DEI program.
Laurie Hannant has been named as the new Managing Partner for the BDO office located in Nottingham, UK. Hannant joined BDO as a Partner in 2019, arriving in the firm’s audit wing from EY.
Alvarez & Marsal has hired Amar Kapadia in Chicago as Managing Director to broaden its Healthcare M&A services, particularly to work with PE and Life Sciences clients. He joins from KPMG.
Deloitte in the UK has confirmed two senior appointments as it expands its sustainability offering. Anne-Marie Malley (UK Consulting Lead) will lead the firm’s sustainability and climate team, while Smruti Naik-Jones becomes Chief Sustainability Officer of the wider UK group.
Orbit36, a boutique Swiss consultancy working within the FS space, has expanded its team with four banking experts from UBS: Andreas Bitz (Risk), Jochen Kaduff, former GroupFinance Chief of Staff, Daniele Ferraro (Liquidity), and Ugo Lagrotta (FX, Risk).
FTI Consulting has strengthened its Strategic Communications division in London (focus on Litigation and Disputes), hiring Bella von Bohlen as a Managing Director. She was previously VP at Deutsche Bank.
HKA, a global consulting firm, has hired Clare Lavin from Grant Thornton as a Partner in its Dubai office. Lavin, who has over 20 years of experience in disputes and investigations, will join HKA’s Forensic Accounting Commercial Damages team. She is regularly called upon to testify in litigation and arbitration cases on accounting quantum and financial-related issues.
Market Intelligence
EY-Parthenon and EY have helped DSM complete the divestment of its Engineering Materials business to Advent International and LANXESS, valued at €3.85 billion. The firms provided vendor due diligence, valuation services, and facilitated the carve-out process, supporting DSM throughout the transaction.
KKR‘s largest-ever European private equity fund, European Fund VI, has closed at $8bn, with a focus on investments in the developed economies of Western Europe. It follows KKR’s $6.6bn European Fund V, which closed in 2019.
L’Oréal has agreed to acquire Australian high-end cosmetics company Aesop from Brazilian owner Natura & Co in a deal worth $2.5bn, marking L’Oréal’s biggest acquisition in decades. The transaction is set to bolster L’Oréal’s position in the luxury beauty market.
Virgin Orbit, the satellite launch firm founded by Sir Richard Branson, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with just $700k of unrestricted cash left in the bank. The company had debuted on Nasdaq in December 2021 with a $3.7bn valuation after merging with a blank-cheque firm.
Moore Kingston Smith has acquired Pilot Financial, an employee benefits consultancy known for its work in financial planning for the education sector. The acquisition is part of Moore Kingston Smith’s expansion and thought leadership strategy.
Mexican baking giant Grupo Bimbo has entered the Romanian market through an acquisition deal with local player Vel Pitar, advised by Deloitte M&A advisors. Grupo Bimbo, which has over $15 billion in revenues, is the world’s largest baking company and has been expanding internationally in recent years.
KPMG has spun out its first business from its start-up incubator, KPMG Studio. AI security firm Cranium was the first to be incubated and is now a separate entity. The move comes as KPMG diversifies its revenue streams amid economic uncertainty.
Atos has launched the brand of its €5 billion spin-off business, Eviden, months ahead of its formal launch. Atos announced its plan to split into two businesses, Atos and Eviden, last year to create higher value for shareholders and stakeholders of the €11 billion company operating in over 70 countries.
We Are Impact Collective is a new boutique consultancy operating in Belgium and the Netherlands, offering ESG and sustainability consulting to companies. Their services include leadership, impact investing, strategy, ESG, philanthropy, and inclusiveness, among others, with a team of experts from diverse backgrounds.
French engineering and consulting firm, Segula Technologies, has opened a new office in Abu Dhabi as its regional headquarters. The firm aims to provide engineering and innovation services across various sectors to support UAE’s infrastructure development plans and invest in local talent development programs.
Kroll, a risk management firm, has opened a new office in Johannesburg, South Africa to increase its footprint in the African market and support its growing client base in the region. The office will offer services such as corporate investigations, cyber security, and due diligence.
Kibo Ventures has launched Nzyme, a new Private Equity fund approved by CNMV, targeting profitable Spanish SMEs with high potential for technological transformation. The fund seeks to improve operating margins, accelerate growth, and increase their impact with the support of Oliver Wyman.
Merck is set to acquire Prometheus Biosciences, a clinical-stage biotech company, for $10.8bn. The acquisition will strengthen Merck’s presence in immunology and add diversity to its portfolio, supporting its growth and sustainable innovation. Centerview Partners, Goldman Sachs, and Latham & Watkins advised Prometheus Biosciences.
Palladium Digital, a digital transformation firm, has acquired OneFourZero, a data-driven consultancy specializing in M&A and commercial due diligence. The deal will allow Palladium to expand its offerings and access OneFourZero’s data and analytics capabilities.
PwC has launched its Centre for Nature Positive Business to accelerate the transition to a nature positive and net-zero future. Over half of the world’s GDP is dependent on nature, impacting the supply of natural resources and vital services that businesses rely on.
Arthur D. Little and Cefic have released a study on the potential of AI, blockchain, and augmented reality to transform the European chemical industry, including areas such as process design, sustainability, and materials tracking.
UBS and Credit Suisse have chosen Oliver Wyman to advise on their integration plans, after the consulting firm won a competitive bidding process against MBB firms. The integration aims to streamline operations and save costs for the two Swiss banks.
Insurance broker Willis Towers Watson (WTW) has sold talent assessment business Saville Assessment to UK private equity firm Tenzing. The sale will allow WTW to focus on core areas and follows the acquisition of the company by Towers Watson in 2010.
Accenture is aiding defense tech firm, Leonardo, in migrating to the cloud for modernizing its infrastructure and increasing agility. The company will provide support for IT operations and help migrate applications, data, and services in line with Leonardo’s digital transformation plans.
Capgemini is set to lead the €8m ‘Next Generation IoT’ program, which aims to research the future of IoT and bring its benefits to life. The program, funded by the EU’s Horizon 20203 research program, involves 19 organizations from various sectors.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has blocked Microsoft‘s $75bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The regulator concluded that the deal could make Activision’s games exclusive to Microsoft’s cloud gaming service, which drew a furious response from the video games maker.