Introduction
The consulting and investment landscape continues to evolve, driven by strategic appointments, regional expansions, and heightened focus on digital transformation, sustainability, and AI. This month’s key people moves and promotions underscore how firms are deepening sector expertise and strengthening leadership across core markets. At the same time, Artefact’s new partnership with Cinven reflects growing investor confidence in data and AI consulting, signalling the sector’s accelerating trajectory toward tech-enabled growth.
Key People Moves
FTI Consulting has announced the appointment of Joseph Shipley as Senior Managing Director in its Strategic Communications business. Based in London, Shipley will lead the firm’s work with private equity groups across the UK and the EMEA region. He joins from Kekst CNC, where he was a partner, and has previous experience at Brunswick and within the in-house communications team at Permira. Shipley specialises in advising private equity clients and their portfolio companies on multichannel communications and transactions involving significant political and regulatory scrutiny. His appointment strengthens FTI Consulting’s capabilities in transaction services, business transformation, debt restructuring and reputation management.
Roland Berger has promoted four individuals to Managing Director in its Middle East operations and appointed eight new leaders to its broader regional leadership team. The new Managing Directors bring expertise across energy, sustainability, public sector, digital and transportation sectors.
– Michael Caracache, Head of the Public Sector and KSA Country Senior Partner, has been with Roland Berger since 2010 and specialises in national transformation and infrastructure projects.
– Nizar Hneini, Head of the Digital and Services platform and Qatar Country Senior Partner, joined in early 2024 with over 20 years of experience in digital transformation.
– Tobias Schoenberg, with the firm since 2001, focuses on mobility, logistics and aviation as Head of Industrials Goods and Transportation.
– Vatche Kourkejian, advising Gulf Cooperation Council governments since 2007, leads the Energy & Sustainability practice.
In addition, eight senior professionals have joined the Middle East team to support Roland Berger’s regional growth.
– Bilal Rammal, Partner based in Dubai, brings more than 15 years of consulting experience focused on government and public sector initiatives across the GCC, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
– André Sleiman joins as Director in Riyadh with expertise in waste management, public sector reform and governance advisory, having led major environmental projects in West Asia and North Africa.
– Aysha Alhashmi, Director in Abu Dhabi, offers over 20 years’ experience in energy, defense, tourism and strategy, having held key roles at Masdar and ADNOC.
– Diane Harfouche, Principal in Riyadh, specialises in sustainability and ESG consulting with experience advising sovereign wealth funds and government entities on national sustainability agendas.
– Feym Fliegner joins as Principal in Dubai within the Digital and Services platform, bringing six years of strategy and AI-enabled transformation experience across telecom, technology and consumer sectors.
– Haytham Honjol, Director in Riyadh, has over 16 years’ experience in strategy, transformation and enterprise risk, previously serving as Chief Strategy Officer at Saudi Arabia’s first electric vehicle brand.
– Hugo Carreira, Principal in Qatar, offers 18 years’ expertise in digital innovation and technology advisory and leads the regional AI Centre of Excellence and AI Tech Lab.
– Kamil Kasprowicz rejoins Roland Berger as Principal in Dubai within the Operations platform, bringing 15 years of consulting and executive leadership experience in transportation, logistics and supply chain management.
BearingPoint has appointed 13 new partners across six European countries, reinforcing its leadership and expanding expertise in key business areas.
In Belgium Olivier Baudry, with the firm since 2015, focuses on business transformation through IFS cloud technologies, aiming to unlock value and enhance organizational capabilities in the Benelux region.
– Mark Boswell in the UK, who joined in 2022, leads sourcing and procurement initiatives within consumer goods and retail, helping clients navigate complex markets with innovative technology solutions.
France saw four new partners:
– Luc d’Anterroches, a veteran since 2006, specializes in banking and capital markets, particularly asset and wealth management, leading large transformation projects.
– Hamza El Kacimi brings deep technology expertise to help clients realize the full potential of emerging tech in large-scale IT programs.
– Leo Genin, joining through the acquisition of I Care, focuses on sustainability, guiding clients through ecological transformation and climate-related risk management.
– Geoffroy Petit leads in data and AI, helping organizations accelerate digital transformation and build long-term performance.
Germany also welcomed four new partners:
– Wilfried Fritz, with a focus on IT strategy and sourcing, supports clients in designing future-ready IT operations and transitions.
– Anna Grobecker specializes in chemical and life sciences industries, delivering tailored SAP solutions while fostering strong client partnerships.
– Holger May works in banking regulatory advisory, optimizing clients’ regulatory reporting costs through a combination of expertise and technology. Corinna Sieglin leads compliance transformation in banking, accelerating regulatory integration and AI-driven risk management.
Austria added two partners:
– Helmut Ritter, head of the SAP practice, drives digital transformation and expands BearingPoint’s footprint in industrial manufacturing and finance.
– Gerald Tretter focuses on technology solutions for utilities, postal, and transportation sectors, emphasizing event-driven architectures and real-time processes to enable sustainable business transformation.
– Nicu Zaharia in Romania leads SAP large-scale implementations and innovation initiatives, advancing cloud capabilities and AI integration to boost operational efficiency across industries.
These new partners bring diverse expertise across technology, finance, sustainability, and operations, enhancing BearingPoint’s presence and capabilities in multiple European markets.
Portage Point Partners has welcomed Don Agee as a Managing Director and member of the Executive Team. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in helping private equity-backed companies tackle complex challenges in M&A integration, operational improvement, finance transformation, and data enablement.
Tim Xu has joined Accenture as a Managing Director after 13 years at Oliver Wyman. He brings over a decade of experience in strategy, treasury, risk management, and organizational effectiveness, focusing on helping clients navigate change by blending industry expertise with a deep understanding of people and culture.
David Pérez has joined Alvarez & Marsal as Managing Director and Head of Healthcare for the Private Equity Performance Improvement practice in EMEA. Based in Stockholm, he brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare and life sciences, strengthening A&M’s commercial due diligence capabilities and expanding its Nordic presence. Previously at BCG, David specializes in advising private equity investors and corporates on transactions and value creation.
Roland Berger strengthens its Paris partner team with Dominique Gautier and Nicolas Saïah.
– Dominique Gautier returns as senior partner after 25 years with the firm, including leadership roles in Quebec and Casablanca. He advises governments and institutions on public policy, citizen-focused transformation, and large-scale change.
– Nicolas Saïah joins as partner from Nestlé, bringing expertise in business strategy, growth, M&A, turnarounds, and digital transformation. He previously spent 13 years at Mars & Co, helping expand its ASEAN business.
Roland Berger has announced the appointment of Rachel Hugo as Senior Partner to co-lead its Aerospace & Defence Practice across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and to lead the UK practice. Hugo joins following senior roles including Partner at McKinsey & Company and Global Lead Partner at KPMG LLP. She brings over 30 years’ experience in industry, technology and consulting, with deep expertise in high-tech and defence operations, strategy and transformation.
People Promotions
Gil Mermelstein, with over 20 years of consulting and industry experience, has been promoted to CEO of West Monroe. Since joining in 2010, he has led several key practices, including the Financial Services practice in New York, and now drives the firm’s growth and client impact strategy.
IBM Consulting has appointed Lula Mohanty as Managing Partner for the Middle East and Africa. With 25 years at IBM, she previously led IBM Consulting’s Asia Pacific business and strategic sales globally. Mohanty will drive growth and digital transformation across 13 countries, aiming to strengthen IBM’s leadership in AI and digital reinvention in the region.
Grant Thornton has promoted Katherine Reid to Tax Director at its Oxford office. With over 17 years of experience, Reid specializes in advising mid-market businesses in the Oxfordshire region, particularly in science, technology, and IP-rich sectors. She focuses on practical tax solutions to support clients’ growth and compliance needs.
EY has promoted Răzvan Ungureanu to partner in its Bucharest office. With nearly 17 years in tax advisory, Ungureanu leads the international tax advisory team in Romania, specializing in tax optimization, compliance, and planning. He focuses on helping clients navigate a rapidly evolving tax landscape amid increasing digitalization and regulatory changes.
Bain & Company has announced five partner promotions in the Middle East. Othmane Boujemaoui, Abdullah Khan, and Khaled Zikry join the partnership, while Faisal Sheikh and Joseph Edwin are promoted to senior partner.
– Othmane Boujemaoui leads energy transition and sustainability strategies.
– Abdullah Khan advises on investment strategy and large-scale transformations.
– Khaled Zikry heads mergers and acquisitions in financial services across the MENA region.
– Faisal Sheikh specializes in consumer products and AI-driven business performance.
– Joseph Edwin focuses on financial services technology and banking transformation.
Market Intelligence
Artefact has entered into a strategic partnership with private equity firm Cinven, which is acquiring a majority stake in the business, valuing the consultancy at over €1 billion.
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Paris, Artefact is a global data and artificial intelligence consultancy with around 1,700 employees across 31 offices in 25 countries. The firm advises major clients across sectors on digital marketing, data, and AI transformation.
With Cinven’s backing, Artefact aims to triple in size to over 5,000 employees by 2030, supported by international expansion, around 20 planned acquisitions, and increased investment in technology and talent.
The move positions Artefact for accelerated growth and enhanced delivery of AI‑driven solutions globally.