As the summer months come to a close, consulting firms across the globe set their sights on preparing for 2025. With a sense of optimism sweeping over the advisory space moving into the second half of the year, firms have been looking internally to understand what business areas require strengthening.
Looking across this month’s edition, key areas for expansion include Digital and AI, M&A and PE, and large-scale transformations focused on cost optimisation.
People Moves
Oliver Wyman US has hired Christine Astorino as a Partner in their Digital practice, and a leader in their Customer Experience business. Christine joins from BCG, with deep expertise in transforming brands and customers and employee-centric interactions.
Strategy Consulting firm CIL have appointed Matthew Birtch as Partner in their Chicago office, where he will lead the firm’s North America Technology practice. With over 15 years’ experience, Matthew brings key expertise in cloud computing, cybersecurity, IT services, and media technology.
Former Accenture Managing Director Dirk Seng has joined EY in Germany. His role will be focused on supporting Consumer & Retail clients on supply chain and operations topics, working across Western Europe.
Alvarez & Marsal have announced the appointment of Akhilesh Sahu as Managing Director, based in New Delhi, India. Akhilesh will continue working with clients across multiple sectors to drive growth and large-scale business transformations.
Kearney have strengthened their Transportation and Travel practice in the Middle East with the appointment of Francesco Pavoni as a Senior Partner. Prior to joining Kearney, Francesco has gained experience at other major consulting firms, including BCG, Roland Berger, PA Consulting, Accenture, and Value Partners.
Jonathan Roe has re-joined PwC as a Partner in their Capital Projects & Infrastructure practice. Jonathan joins from Ankura where he led the Infrastructure and Project Advisory practice.
FTI Consulting have boosted their Construction, Projects & Assets practice in the UAE with Stuart McIvor, who joins as a Managing Director. With nearly two decades of experience in the construction and engineering sectors, Stuart brings a wealth of expertise in forensic delay analysis, dispute resolution, claims management, and planning services on major projects.
Arthur D. Little have strengthened their Americas team with the appointment of Joern Buss as Partner and practice leader for its Automotive & Manufactured Goods (AMG) group. Joern brings over 25 years of on-and-off highway transport & engineered products industry experience to ADL with a focus on value creation, strategy, and innovation.
Big Four firm PwC Middle East have appointed Haitham Samman as regional Director for Impact & Development. In his new role Haitham will focus on driving impactful people initiatives across the firm’s offices in 12 countries, ensuring alignment with PwC’s mission for corporate social responsibility and their own employee value proposition.
Alvarez & Marsal have expanded their corporate finance offering in Birmingham, England through the appointment of Andy Moody as a Managing Director. Prior to joining A&M, Andy spent the last 11 years with Deloitte, where he most recently served as director with a focus on supporting Midlands based private or family-owned businesses and private equity houses on M&A.
Grant Thornton UK have strengthened their public services transport advisory offering with the appointment of Charlie Hamilton as Partner, bringing more than 15 years of transport sector experience to the firm.
Alvarez & Marsal have appointed Michael Eiden as Managing Director to the Digital team in London. With over two decades of experience in Applied AI and Machine Learning, Michael has designed, developed, and commercialised 50+ AI approaches across a range of sectors.
Roland Berger have bolstered their Middle East leadership team with the hire of Tara Makarem, appointed as Partner. Tara brings a wealth of consulting experience in the healthcare industry to the strategy consulting firm, with a focus on the public sector.
Alvarez & Marsal have bolstered their Middle East Tax practice with the appointment of Faisal Tanvir as Managing Director. Faisal brings over 20 years of expertise in tax compliance and advisory, including deep knowledge of Saudi Arabian tax regulations. Prior to joining A&M, Faisal was a tax Partner in a Big Four firm in KSA and led the tax practice in the western region of Saudi Arabia.
People Promotions
Bain & Company have promoted six people to the partnership in Switzerland and Germany. In Switzerland, the firm welcomed Omar Chaudhry, Tanja Frohn, and Stefano Gallazzi to their partnership, whilst Michael Höning, Dominic Seeberger and Holger Kömm were promoted in Germany.
PwC has admitted five new members to its partner teams across Greece. Christodoulos Chaviaras, Katerina Grivaki, George Papathanasiou, Leonidas Papaioannou, and Dimitris Vasiliadis have all been promoted from within the firm’s own ranks, working across Corporate Finance, Tax, Assurance and Consulting practices respectively.
European firm Eight Advisory has appointed two new partners in their French team. Jean-Baptiste Blanco has been promoted to Partner in the Transaction Services practice, whilst Yannick Anselme has been promoted to Partner in the Finance Transformation practice.
EY have appointed Annie Graham as their new UK Head of Audit. She moves on from her role as UK&I Audit Chief Operating Officer, bringing three decades of experience to the position.
On the back of double-digit growth in Germany, BearingPoint have promoted 10 new members to their partner team. Christopher Lonzius, Felix Till, Ilja Krybus, Jan Flemming, Martin Costa Santos, Max Frösch, Moritz Willer, Nadine Scheuerl, Stefan Kauerauf, and Wahid Khan join the leadership team across across their offices in Düsseldorf, Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart, and Munich.
PwC have announced Gareth Henty as the firm’s new Head of Pensions in the UK. The promotion comes as PwC’s pensions practice has been through a period of growth and evolution, building on longstanding strength and depth as strategic corporate advisors.
KPMG have promoted Turki Alajmi to Partner in their Saudi Arabian Defense & Security practice. Turki has been at KPMG since early 2023, previously working with a government institution in Saudi Arabia on the development of the nation’s defense capabilities.
OC&C Strategy Consultants have appointed Fred Ward as a Partner in the firm’s B2B Services team after a decade at the firm. The B2B team provides expertise and sector insight to clients across automotive, built environment and recycling, industrial products, insurance, marine, professional services, and outsourcing.
BCG’s Australasian offices have promoted a number of people to the partnership. Melbourne-based pair Mitchell Smith and Fergie Romero and Sydney’s Chris Turner and Vivien Alonzo have all been admitted to the partnership, along with Richard Hobbs in Auckland. Additionally, BCG’s Platinion and Technology & Digital Advantage practice leader Andrew Arcuri has been made Managing Director and Senior Partner in Sydney.
Oliver Wyman have appointed Paul Ricard as the new Asia-Pacific Head of their Insurance and Asset Management practice. Relocating from California, Ricard has been tasked with expanding Oliver Wyman’s footprint in this space, leading key client accounts and ensuring that teams are successfully serving the needs of clients
Big Four firm Deloitte have appointed Grace Cartin as a Partner in their Belfast office, having first joined the business as a graduate. In her role, Grace provides audit and advisory services across numerous sectors, with a focus on banking, energy, technology, manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals.
Following the retirement of long-standing leader Dave Hales, EY have appointed Ryan Squires as the new office leader for Southampton.
Carmina Lees has taken over as the head of Accenture’s UK and Ireland Insurance practice. She brings 25 years of experience in the sector, with deep cross-industry expertise and knowledge of emerging technologies.
Market Intelligence
KPMG’s two largest member firms in the Middle East – Saudi Levant and Lower Gulf – have voted to integrate their businesses to create a regional powerhouse of over 5,000 employees across six countries. The integration will result in the establishment of a new LLP and will create a collective KPMG business operating across Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Oman.
Accenture has completed the acquisition of Fibermind, an Italy-based network services company, specialising in fiber and mobile 5G networks deployment. With this acquisition, Accenture strengthens their capabilities in telecommunications network engineering services, while providing clients with deep industry knowledge and technology assets powered by automation, robotics, data, and AI.
Accenture has acquired consus.health, a German healthcare management consultancy with around 140 staff. Following closing of the deal, consus.health will be integrated into Accenture’s Strategy & Consulting division and Healthcare industry vertical.