Deloitte announces three new Partners amid Middle East expansion
Deloitte has appointed Andrew Pimlott as Partner to lead its Forensic Technology practice, alongside announcing the promotion of two new partners, Scott Whalan and Azhar Hussain, in a further expansion of its Financial Advisory business in the Middle East.
Andrew Pimlott has joined Deloitte’s Dubai office as a Partner. The new appointee will specialise in eDiscovery, cyber-crime and data analytics. Pimlott, formerly of Big Four rivals EY, has led many data driven investigations, including fraud investigations, sanctions, anti-money laundering and dispute work, in over ten jurisdictions including the US, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Based in both London and Dubai during his 8 year tenure with the firm, Pimlott became a Partner for Data Analytics, before leaving EY this year.
Now based in Deloitte’s office in the same locale, Pimlott will be responsible for leading the Forensic Technology practice in Financial Advisory across the Middle East. The team at whose helm he has been placed includes expert EnCase Certified Examiners, Brainspace Certified Users and Relativity Certified Administrators. Relativity is an industry standard eDiscovery global data discovery platform, which is used by organisations in litigation, regulatory inquiries, internal investigations and information governance.
Pimlott said of his appointment, “I am honoured to be leading the regional Forensic technology team in Financial Advisory, which has a market leading reputation in the region and help to contribute to future success.”
Wayne Thomas, Managing Partner for Financial Advisory at Deloitte, said, “We are continuing to invest in our Financial Advisory business in the Middle East, and it is excellent to have someone of Andrew’s calibre join the firm. In addition to welcoming Andrew, we are delighted to have promoted Scott Whalan and Azhar Hussain into the partnership as well. The appointments reflect our commitment to recognising excellence and developing leaders, but also to attract the very best talent from the market place, to provide the very best service to our clients, as well as demonstrate our commitment to the region.”
Scott Whalan is a Valuations and Modelling Services specialist, based in Dubai. Having graduated from the University of Wollongong, Australia, with a 1st Class Degree in Mathematics and Finance, Whalan became a Chartered Financial Analyst before joining Deloitte in 2003. Following a six year stint in the firm’s Sydney office, he relocated to the United Arab Emirates, where he received his promotion to Partner following a further eight years of service.
Azhar Hussain is a Transactions Services specialist based in Riyadh. Having studied a Bachelor of Law at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Hussain joined Deloitte in Saudi Arabia, in 2010. Over the following seven years, he has filled the positions of Assistant Director and Director of Transaction Services, before his elevation to Partner of Transaction Services at the company’s Saudi arm.
While economic activity in the UAE and Dubai specifically may have slowed on the back of low oil prices, the consulting industry continues to invest in the region, banking on the probability that they will be called upon by clients looking to overhaul their business models, in order to ramp up growth once more. In August, FTI Consulting added new advisors in the UAE’s most populous city, while Delaware and Synechron have both opened offices in the locale over the past two years.