21 October, 2016
Berkeley Research Group announced today that Stuart Witchell has joined the firm’s Global Investigations + Strategic Intelligence practice as a Managing Director and Asia Pacific leader. The appointment is part of the firm’s development of a full-scale investigations practice in Asia which will work closely with, and further enhance, its established disputes practice in the region.
Stuart will be based in the firm’s Hong Kong office. His team will operate across the Asia Pacific region and beyond in collaboration with the firm’s 37 offices and utilising its state-of-the-art forensics capabilities in key locations.
Stuart has significant experience in conducting sophisticated business intelligence assignments in Asia and globally; on major fraud and corruption investigations; in multijurisdictional asset searches; in discreet strategies to assist with hostile takeovers; in provision of evidence for litigation support, including anti-dumping cases; in consulting on brand protection and product counterfeiting issues in emerging markets; and in crisis contingency planning and response. At BRG, Stuart will be responsible for the management of complex multijurisdictional investigations including violations of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practice Act (FCPA) and strategic intelligence assignments.
BRG founder and Chairman David Teece said, “BRG’s expansion in Asia Pacific is a core part of our ambitious plans to grow and develop the firm. Stuart’s career in diplomacy coupled with his stellar consulting and leadership track record reflect directly the distinctive attributes of a BRG expert in his ability to combine hands-on experience with leading-edge expertise. I am delighted to have him at the helm of our investigations and intelligence work in this region and as part of our global community of experts”.
Stuart started his investigative consulting career at a Big Four firm in Japan, establishing a successful risk mitigation practice. After a management buyout, Stuart became a founding member of International Risk Limited, a boutique investigative firm, and led its Japanese operations for several years. Subsequent to International Risk being acquired by a global business advisory firm, Stuart was appointed co-leader of the firm’s Asia Pacific investigative practice based in Hong Kong.
Before his consulting career, Stuart was a British diplomat, with 17 years of experience both in the UK and overseas, dealing with international criminal activity including money laundering, organised crime, terrorism and security issues.
BRG’s Global Investigations + Strategic Intelligence practice is the firm’s fastest growing group and has added a series of senior hires to its team over the past six months, in locations including New York, Hong Kong, London and Latin America. Its global leader, Allen D. Applbaum, said, “I am very excited to welcome Stuart to our rapidly expanding team at BRG. We continue to build a first-class AsiaPac team and I know, having worked with Stuart for many years, that we have succeeded in bringing the best talent in the region into our organisation."
Mike Slattery, a BRG Managing Director and senior advisor to the practice, said, “Our aim is to build a truly global group of experts and professionals who are leaders in their field. We are very excited about the addition of an individual with Stuart’s experience and network to drive this part of our operation forward and, having worked with him in previous firms, I am thrilled to have him as a key colleague once more”.
