Simon Freakley new Chief Executive of AlixPartners

Global advisory firm AlixPartners has unveiled that Simon Freakley, the former CEO of recently acquired firm Zolfo Cooper, will take over the reigns of the consultancy from January 1st next year.

Simon Freakley joined AlixPartners in February 2015 as a Managing Director when the advisory firm acquired Zolfo Cooper*, where Freakley had been CEO for seven years. Prior to serving Zolfo Cooper, a UK-headquartered provider of advisory and restructuring services, Freakley had been Global CEO of Kroll, based in New York, from 2004 - 2008. Freakley will work alongside the current CEO Fred Crawford until 1 January 2016 at which time he will become sole CEO of AlixPartners. Crawford will take on a new role within the firm and remain a member of the Board.

“I have been CEO for eight of the 11 years that I have been with the firm and, from a personal perspective, now is the right time for me to pass on the leadership baton while continuing to serve my colleagues and our clients as an active Managing Director and member of the Board. AlixPartners is a very special place to be and I have a deep belief and commitment to the work that we do and the way our people deliver it,” comments Crawford on his stepping down.

Freakley says he is “delighted and honoured to take on the role”, adding “I had long admired AlixPartners before our firms came together, and since joining I have been struck by the depth of capability, ambition, and client commitment that exists throughout the firm.” He concludes by saying that he looks forward “to what our people and our clients will be able to achieve as we create the next chapter together.”

* The deal, reportedly worth £100 million – though neither party have confirmed the financials aspects of the acquisition – saw all 200 senior professionals of Zolfo Cooper, including 19 managing directors, move to AlixPartners, bringing the size of AlixPartners’ regional practice to near 600 people.