FTI Consulting Launches Forensic & Litigation Consulting Segment in South Africa
FTI Consulting today announced the further expansion of the firm’s Forensic & Litigation Consulting segment with the launch of a practice in South Africa and the appointment of five senior professionals.
The new team includes Senior Managing Directors Petrus Marais, Johan van der Walt and Calvin Isaacs, along with Senior Directors Helena Potgieter and Kajen Subramoney. Their appointments reflect growing demand for local specialist knowledge in complex cases of fraud, financial disputes and corruption.
Kevin Hewitt, Chairman of FTI Consulting’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”) region, said, “Companies doing business in Africa require both the local expertise and the support of a global team to help them effectively navigate this challenging and complex regulatory, financial and legal environment. Petrus, Johan, Calvin, Helena and Kajen are recognized experts who will provide that local insight for clients based in Africa as well as those looking to do business in South Africa and throughout the continent.”
Commenting on the enhancement of FTI Consulting’s global footprint, Neal Hochberg, Global Leader of the Forensic & Litigation Consulting segment, said, “Our worldwide reach is a true differentiator for clients who require investigative, dispute and risk services. This team of leading experts adds strength to a deep bench of talent, and I am pleased to welcome them to FTI Consulting.”
Mr. Marais established KPMG’s South Africa Forensic Division in 1993, and had been the Global Leader of KPMG Forensic since 2011. He previously served as the regional leader of KPMG Forensic in EMEA and the Chairman of KPMG Forensic for South Africa and Africa. Mr. Marais has experience with a range of major clients from government departments to financial institutions and investment houses in the area of fraud investigation and fraud risk management. Prior to joining KPMG, he was a founding member of the Office for Serious Economic Offences of the Department of Justice. He also is an advocate of the High Court of South Africa.
Mr. Marais said, “FTI Consulting is internationally recognised as a truly independent investigations and litigation practice, focused on the large and complex challenges and disputes which clients increasingly face. Its entrepreneurial spirit and ambition to grow, both regarding its geographic footprint as well as its range of specialised service offerings, was the key attraction for me in joining.”
Mr. van der Walt was previously the Head of Dispute Advisory Services at KPMG Forensic South Africa, handling criminal and civil investigations and matters in the area of litigation support services in Africa and other jurisdictions across the world. He has also worked for the Commercial Crime Unit of the South African Police Service, followed by consultancy work with the then-Office for Serious Economic Offences. Mr. van der Walt has testified in various matters, from arbitrations to civil disputes to criminal trials, both local and abroad, and has advised clients across a variety of industries, such as telecommunications, mining, logistics and financial services. Mr. van der Walt will be based in Johannesburg.
Mr. Isaacs is an independent forensic investigator specialising in combatting healthcare fraud. He joins from MMI Health, the largest administrator of medical aid across Southern Africa. He led the implementation of a fraud, waste and abuse system to prevent and detect fraudulent claims across the healthcare industry. From 2006-2012 Mr. Isaacs headed KPMG’s Western and Eastern Cape forensic practices and managed assignments across a number of industries for various large, listed clients and government departments and agencies. Mr. Isaacs will be based in Cape Town.
Ms. Potgieter joins FTI Consulting after leading KPMG Forensic’s Africa Telecoms group, where she had overall responsibility for coordinating the firm’s efforts across the sector. Ms. Potgieter has a wealth of experience in fraud, corruption and transaction reviews and valuations. Prior to joining KPMG in 2006, she practiced as a civil and criminal litigation attorney in the Magistrates and High Courts of South Africa, as well as being a qualified accountant. Ms. Potgieter will be based in Johannesburg.
Mr. Subramoney previously was an Associate Director with KPMG Forensic, where for more than 15 years he specialised in advising clients on fraud and misconduct cases and the use of technology in such investigations. He is particularly skilled in data analysis and visualisation, cyber investigations, digital evidence recovery and electronic discovery. He will be based in Johannesburg.
The Forensic & Litigation Consulting practice will expand FTI Consulting’s service offerings in the South African market, where the firm has been active since 2005 through its Strategic Communications practice and since 2015 with its Economic & Finance Consulting practice.
