Introduction
February saw continued leadership activity across professional services, with firms making key appointments and promotions to enhance capabilities in transformation, advisory, tax, HR, analytics, and digital strategy. Market highlights reflect a focus on driving growth, operational excellence, and innovation, with senior hires and newly promoted partners bringing expertise across healthcare, consumer goods, financial services, and technology. These moves underscore the sector’s ongoing commitment to talent development, specialised knowledge, and delivering value-driven solutions in a dynamic and competitive landscape.
Key People Moves
Joe Barry has joined RSM UK as a restructuring partner in the Birmingham office, where he will lead and expand the firm’s restructuring advisory team. He joins from Teneo and brings more than 14 years of experience in restructuring and turnaround across sectors, including construction, retail and real estate.
Portage Point Partners have appointed Adam Pollak as Head of Advisory and to the Executive Leadership Team. Pollak brings experience of over 20 years in advisory, transformation and technology-led services, having previously served as Global Lead Partner for Value Creation and US Transformation Lead Partner at KPMG Strategy, and as Managing Director at AlixPartners. In his new role, Pollak will lead Transaction Advisory Services, Valuations, Transaction Execution Services, Office of the CFO and Performance Improvement, as well as platform-wide technology initiatives.
Accordion have appointed Todd Hakala and Andrew Jacobsen as Managing Directors following the acquisition of Pinnacle Healthcare Advisors.
– Hakala brings experience of 20 years in revenue cycle and operational transformation for hospitals and health systems.
– Jacobsen brings experience of more than 20 years in healthcare advisory, having held leadership roles at Pinnacle Healthcare Advisors and Huron Consulting Group.
Leo Berwick have strengthened their financial due diligence practice in the US with senior hires.
– Ryan Orme joins as Managing Director, bringing experience of more than 20 years in transaction advisory and financial due diligence, previously serving at Alvarez & Marsal, KPMG, and Deloitte.
– Justin Liao joins as Director, with over 13 years of experience in accounting and transaction advisory, having held leadership roles at Alvarez & Marsal and PwC.
Grant Thornton US have appointed Craig Woodfield as National Managing Partner for Assurance Quality and Risk. Woodfield brings more than 30 years of experience in accounting and audit, having previously served as Northeast Region Audit Practice Leader and partner in the professional standards group at Grant Thornton.
Alvarez & Marsal have appointed Amanda Wu as Managing Director in their Private Equity CFO Services practice. Wu brings more than 20 years of experience in finance transformation for PE-backed and public companies, having previously served as Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting, Associate Director at Protiviti, and Senior Manager at EY. She has expertise in operating model optimization, process improvement, digital transformation, and post-transaction integration across multiple industries.
Berkeley Research Group have appointed Hans Leonard as Director in their Energy and Climate practice. Leonard brings experience as an economist at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, with expertise in energy regulation, market design, pricing, tariff interpretation, cost allocation, and damages. He has extensive experience in applied microeconomics, econometric modeling, and regulatory disputes in the electric, gas, and oil sectors.
FTI Consulting have appointed Matt Ward as Managing Director in their Strategic Communications segment. Ward brings more than 15 years of experience in corporate affairs, business transformation, and communications, having previously served as Head of Communications at Corebridge Financial, Head of US Communications at HSBC, and in senior roles at Hill+Knowlton Strategies and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He has expertise in crisis response, executive positioning, transformation strategy, and stakeholder engagement.
FTI Consulting have appointed Rike Rabl as Chief Human Resources Officer, succeeding Holly Paul. Rabl brings nearly 20 years of experience in consulting and financial services, having previously served as Deputy CHRO at FTI, Head of Transformation at Fannie Mae, and Principal at Boston Consulting Group. She has expertise in HR strategy, operations, and organizational transformation.
FTI Consulting have appointed Tim Falconer as Managing Director in their Strategic Communications division. Falconer brings more than 25 years of experience in communications and journalism, having previously served at Teneo, Bell Pottinger, and The Wall Street Journal, where he was Deputy Bureau Chief for the Middle East. He has expertise in strategic communications, crisis management, and reputation advisory during litigation, regulatory challenges, and organizational transformation.
Artefact have appointed Stephen Bennet, James Swaith, and Don McShee as Partners in their London office.
– Bennet brings experience in digital transformation, AI implementation, and Agentic AI, having previously served as Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company and a 20-year Army career.
– Swaith brings 15 years of experience in financial services transformation, having held leadership roles at KPMG, BCS Consulting, and Accenture.
– McShee brings over 25 years of experience in digital, data, and AI strategy, having previously led AI, Digital and Data at Moorhouse and held senior roles at PwC, AXA, and GE Capital.
Ankura have appointed Karthik Chandrasekar as Global Head of Digital. Chandrasekar brings more than 25 years of experience in digital transformation, strategy, operational excellence, and technology-driven growth, having previously served as Global Managing Partner at Wipro Consulting and Managing Director at Accenture, and starting his career at Deloitte.
FTI Consulting have appointed Oussama Nicolas and Tara Makarem as Senior Managing Directors to co-lead their Healthcare and Life Sciences offering in the Middle East. Nicolas brings more than 25 years of experience in healthcare consulting, having previously served as Partner at Roland Berger and at PwC, while Makarem brings over 12 years of experience, also joining from Roland Berger and with prior experience at PwC. Both have expertise in strategy, transformation, care model design, capacity planning, and healthcare execution across public and private sectors.
FTI Consulting have strengthened their Chemicals practice in the DACH region with the appointment of Mark Reimer and Alexander Keller.
– Reimer joins as Senior Managing Director, bringing more than 16 years of consulting experience in portfolio strategy, business model transformation, and commercial improvements, having previously led the Energy & Chemicals business at Deloitte Consulting Germany and worked at Monitor Deloitte.
– Keller brings extensive experience advising chemical companies and private equity investors on growth, portfolio restructuring, and operational improvement, having previously been a partner at Roland Berger and worked at Monitor Deloitte.
Artefact have appointed Berber Rienks as Partner in their Dutch office. Rienks brings over 20 years of experience in data, AI, and digital transformation, having previously served as Director at Deloitte and held senior roles at PwC, Accenture, and Atos. She has led transformation programs across multiple sectors, including telecommunications, technology, energy, retail, and consumer goods.
PwC have appointed Philippe Trouchaud as Chair of their Supervisory Board for France and the Maghreb business. Trouchaud brings extensive experience from within the firm, having most recently served as Chief Technology Officer and been a longstanding member of the Executive Board, with prior leadership of the technology, media and telecommunications consulting practice and the EMEA telecommunications practice.
EFESO Management Consultants have appointed Paola Pagni as Chief Human Resources Officer. Pagni brings more than 20 years of international HR experience, having previously served as Group CHRO at Chaberton Partners, HR Director at Mercer, senior HR roles at elipsLife Swiss Re Group, and leadership positions at McKinsey & Company. She has expertise in people strategy, talent management, leadership development, succession planning, and post-merger HR integration.
Marsh have appointed Lisa Quest as UK Chief Executive Officer, alongside her role as Head of UK & Ireland at Oliver Wyman. Quest brings 20 years of experience in management consulting, data and analytics, and public sector engagement, and will lead Marsh’s UK commercial strategy, working across its four UK businesses to deepen client relationships and accelerate the delivery of data-driven solutions.
Pearl Meyer have appointed David Clary as Managing Director and Practice Lead for their Leadership Advisory practice. Clary brings over 30 years of experience in executive compensation and leadership advisory, having previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Heidrick & Struggles and held senior consulting roles at Plink, Accenture, and A.T. Kearney.
Grant Thornton US have appointed Amit T. as Partner in their Value Creation solution. Amit brings extensive experience in operational due diligence, integration and separation projects, and performance improvement, with expertise in operating model redesign, carve-out execution, pricing and go-to-market optimization, and large-scale transformation initiatives across technology-enabled businesses.
Accordion have appointed Danielle Rawson FCA as Managing Director. Rawson brings 17 years of experience in Office of the CFO services, specialising in remediating, optimising, and transforming finance functions to protect and create value for private equity clients and CFOs.
BDO USA have appointed Demetrios Frangiskatos as Managing Principal of Assurance and Mat DeMong as Managing Principal of Tax.
– Frangiskatos brings over 25 years of experience in audit, attest, financial accounting advisory, and technology risk, having previously led BDOAdvantage and served as assurance managing partner for the US East region.
– DeMong brings more than 20 years of experience in tax advisory, accounting, and compliance, having previously served as Tax Managing Principal for the US East region and Office Managing Partner in Boston.
RSM US have appointed Joseph Taiano as Chief Marketing Officer. Taiano brings more than 25 years of global marketing experience, having previously served as Global Head of Marketing for Growth & Strategy and Head of Marketing for Accenture Song, and held senior marketing roles at Deloitte. He will lead brand evolution, marketing modernization, and integrated go-to-market strategy for the middle market.
Ankura have appointed Karthik Chandrasekar as Global Head of Digital. Chandrasekar brings more than 25 years of experience in digital transformation, business and growth strategy, operational excellence, and technology-enabled innovation, having previously served as Global Managing Partner at Wipro Consulting, Managing Director at Accenture, and started his consulting career at Deloitte. He will lead the integration of digital and innovative strategies across Ankura’s services.
Arthur D. Little have appointed Marc Hoogenberg as Partner in their Growth practice. Hoogenberg brings over 25 years of consulting experience, specialising in commercial strategy, operating model improvement, and growth initiatives across consumer goods, retail, and leisure sectors. He joins from Strategy&, where he was Partner and Head of the Consumer Markets practice for EMEA, and previously held senior roles at Accenture, McKinsey & Company, and PPMC.
Pearl Meyer have appointed Jayson Traxler as Chief Executive Officer. Traxler brings more than 25 years of experience as a strategic finance and executive advisor, having previously served as CEO and COO of Stax, SVP at K2 Integrity, and director roles at AlixPartners and Devon Value Advisers.
Bain & Company has strengthened its leadership team in the DACH region with five senior appointments: Fabian Bosch, Jens Oesterle, Ferdinand Piotrowski, Lilli Probst, and Christoph Schmell (expert partner).
– Fabian Bosch – Telecommunications, Media & Technology practice; specializes in tech company transformations, organizational development, commercial excellence, and zero-based budgeting.
– Jens Oesterle– Financial Services, Private Equity, Corporate Finance & M&A practices; focuses on capital markets, corporate and investment banking, portfolio optimization, and value creation strategies.
– Ferdinand Piotrowski – Industrial Goods & Services and Private Equity practices; advises on growth strategies, performance improvement, and portfolio value creation programs.
– Lilli Probst – Financial Services, Healthcare, and AI, Insights & Solutions practices; expertise in insurance and healthcare transformations, cost management, digitalization, and generative AI.
– Christoph Schmell (expert partner) – AI, Insights & Solutions, and Telecommunications, Media & Technology practices; leads strategy and transformation initiatives in digitalization and AI implementation across industries.
– Christina Ellringmann, Managing Partner for Germany and Austria, noted the new partners bring strong consulting experience, deep industry knowledge, and leadership capabilities to support Bain’s continued growth in the region.
FTI Consulting has appointed Oussama Nicolas and Tara Makarem as Senior Managing Directors to co-lead its healthcare and life sciences offering in the Middle East, supporting clients in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.
-Oussama Nicolas brings over 25 years of experience in healthcare consulting, covering strategy, transformation, care model design, and large-scale execution, with prior roles at Roland Berger and PwC.
– Tara Makarem has more than 12 years of experience in strategy, care pathway development, workforce planning, and transformation management, previously serving as a partner at Roland Berger and at PwC Qatar.
Grant Thornton has appointed Abigail Fisher as chief people officer, joining the UK strategic leadership team. She brings over 20 years of HR and organizational transformation experience, including 12 years at Eversheds Sutherland and earlier work at Grant Thornton. Reporting to the CEO, Fisher will lead the firm’s people strategy, strengthen its culture, and enhance the employee experience.
Baker Tilly International has named Ian Halligan as its global head of tax. With over 30 years of experience at BDO, EY, RSM, Grant Thornton, and Baker Tilly US, Halligan will lead the network’s global tax strategy, business development, and knowledge sharing across 700 offices in 145 territories, succeeding Chris Johnson.
EY US has named Kristi Eckert managing partner of its Cincinnati office. She has over 22 years with EY, leading client transformations across the US, Latin America, and UK, and previously headed the Central region consumer consulting segment while serving as global client service partner for major consumer accounts.
FTI Consulting appointed Jane Wanklyn as Senior Managing Director in Business Transformation. She brings 20+ years in procurement and supply chain, focusing on cost reduction, value creation, and digital procurement. She joins from Kearney, where she was a partner for over 25 years.
People Promotions
Accenture has promoted Rachel Frey to chief communications officer, joining the global management committee and reporting to CEO Julie Sweet. With 28 years at the firm, she will lead internal and external communications, including media, financial, public affairs, and crisis management.
L.E.K. Consulting promoted six US team members to partner.
– Knute Gailor – industrials, go-to-market strategy, portfolio strategy, M&A.
– Will Garrigues (San Francisco) – agribusiness and chemicals, growth strategy, transaction support.
– Anshul Gupta – retail and consumer, growth strategies, M&A, food & beverage focus.
– Trenton Pantaleoni – healthcare services and private equity, portfolio value creation, growth strategy.
– Sam Shapiro – food & beverage, pricing strategy, revenue growth management.
– Brian Zapf – operations & supply chain, strategy, operating model design, performance improvement.
FTI Consulting has promoted Alex Wong and Enqing Wang to Senior Managing Director in Asia. Wong has 20 years of experience in M&A, financing, and corporate strategy, including senior roles at Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Lazard, JPMorgan, and founding Oasis Advisory. Wang has over 10 years in business transformation and change management for consumer goods, previously at Bain & Company and BCG.
Bain & Company has promoted Jamie Cleghorn to head its global customer practice. With 20 years at Bain, he will scale AI and digital capabilities to drive customer-led growth and modernize front-office operations, focusing on technology and private equity-backed companies.
BDO USA has appointed Demetrios Frangiskatos as managing principal of assurance and Mat DeMong as managing principal of tax.
– Frangiskatos, with the firm since 2000, will oversee audit, attest, financial advisory, and technology risk services, having previously led BDOAdvantage and served as assurance managing partner for the US East.
– DeMong, at BDO since 2004, will lead tax services including corporate, international, and transaction advisory, having previously served as tax managing principal for the US East. Both appointments aim to strengthen leadership and client delivery across BDO’s practices.
OC&C Strategy Consultants has promoted Jan Sauerbrey to Managing Director of Analytics. Since joining in 2024, he has developed the firm’s analytics capabilities and will now lead AI-driven insights to support strategic advisory, helping clients turn complex data into actionable decisions, especially in retail and consumer markets.
Ian Halligan has been appointed global head of tax at Baker Tilly International. With over 30 years of experience across BDO, EY, RSM, and Grant Thornton, he will lead the firm’s global tax strategy and initiatives, succeeding Chris Johnson.