FTI Consulting Inc. has appointed Oliver Williams as Head of the Strategic Communications segment in the Middle East.
In his new role, Williams will lead the segment’s business strategy in the Middle East and support regional leaders on the firm’s expansion across the region to serve international clients operating in the market.
Williams, a Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting who joined the firm in 2008, has held leadership positions in the firm’s London and Washington, D.C., offices. He has advised organisations on a variety of cross-border communications challenges, including complex integrated advocacy campaigns, regulatory and legislative uncertainty, securing investment and building credibility through third-party stakeholder engagement.
The appointment of Williams continues FTI Consulting’s ongoing investment in the region, including the firm’s relocation to larger premises in Dubai and the opening of new offices in Abu Dhabi and Doha in 2023 and the establishment of an office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2022.
FTI Consulting’s team in the Middle East supports clients on a diverse range of business critical issues, including crisis and cybersecurity, forensic investigations, corporate finance, construction solutions, public sector advisory and strategy consulting. They combine deep financial, technical and business expertise with local, global and industry experience to help organisations protect and enhance their enterprise value in an increasingly complex and evolving legal, regulatory and economic environment.
“With many global leaders focusing intently on entering or expanding their presence in the Middle East market, significant opportunities abound for the business industry,” said Mark McCall, Global Leader of the Strategic Communications segment at FTI Consulting.
“Oliver brings tremendous value and experience to our rapidly growing team in the region. His appointment will strengthen collaboration across our global network, and we look forward to leveraging his expertise to further solidify our position as a leading global consulting firm.”
FTI Consulting’s Strategic Communications segment has secured significant financial communications, corporate reputation, public affairs and crisis management mandates in the Middle East. The segment’s leadership in capital markets communications is exemplified by recent milestones such as Parkin’s record-breaking IPO on the Dubai Financial Market and Modern Mills Company’s historic IPO on the main market of the Saudi Exchange.
“The Middle East is evolving and developing at an exciting pace and with this clients’ communications needs and challenges evolve too,” said Vikas Papriwal, a Senior Managing Director and Head of FTI Consulting Middle East. “Oliver’s solid track record and experience will be of great benefit to our client base across our core geographies as they navigate these communications needs. I very much look forward to working with Oliver to develop our strategic communications solutions across the region.”
Commenting on his appointment, Williams said, “The Middle East is clearly an increasingly critical nexus for business. The sense of opportunity is palpable, and I’m excited to build on the work of our local team, as we take our business to the next level.”
“At the heart of our strategy is a vision to marry our local expertise with our international capabilities and footprint, to not only support those companies who are already in the Gulf Cooperation Council market or entering it, but also the growing number of regional leaders who are expanding internationally.”
