Ankura promotes two senior managing directors in London wing

Global advisory firm Ankura Consulting Group has appointed 11 professionals to senior managing director around the world. Mark Smith and Tom Francis take on the rank in the company’s London office.
Ankura is a business advisory firm, whose 2,000 staff provide management consulting and expert services to businesses. Backed by private equity group Madison Dearborn Partners, Ankura has been looking to expand on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years.
Following another 12 months of successful, global growth, the expert services and consulting group has rewarded the hard work of its professionals with a string of promotions. According to a release from Ankura, the move exemplifies the firm’s “ongoing commitment to advancing the careers of its world-class consultants and recognising the achievements of those who are leading experts in their fields”.
Mark Smith has been named a senior managing director in Ankura’s London office. In the turnaround and restructuring team, Smith has over 19 years of refinancing and restructuring experience, working with clients globally to advise boards, management teams, lender and bondholder groups, and shareholders and regulators’ stressed and distressed situations with multiple stakeholders.
Tom Francis has been promoted to the same rank in the firm’s London-based construction disputes and advisory team. He has over 22 years of experience in project planning and delay analysis, having has worked for both contractors and clients on major infrastructure projects and disputes in the UK, Europe, and Middle East.
Speaking on the news, Ankura’s Chief Executive Officer Kevin Lavin said, “I am thrilled to extend my congratulations to our newly promoted senior managing directors. At Ankura, we take pride in our world-class capabilities, and these distinguished colleagues have excelled in delivering extraordinary results for our clients across diverse geographies, disciplines, and industries. Their contributions have been amazing and l look forward to their continued success.”
Smith and Francis were promoted along nine other senior managing directors around the world. Alan Dalsass, Jon Henrich and Michael Pesce were promoted in New York, while Tracy Branding Pyle and Dean K. Thomas were promoted in Washington D.C. In Ankura’s Nashville office, Danny Powers and Wendy Timmons also became senior managing directors, alongside Naren Patel in Chicago. And in Paris, Alex Veopaseuth was also promoted within Ankura’s European wing.