BRG adds Richard Merino as managing director in health analytics practice

Berkeley Research Group (BRG), an Emeryville, CA-headquartered management consulting firm, has hired Richard Merino as a managing director in its health analytics practice in Washington, DC.

Merino brings more than 25 years of experience in healthcare operations, regulatory compliance, managed care, and litigation support.

In his new role at BRG, Merino will provide expert witness, litigation support, and advisory services to healthcare organizations including providers, health plans, PBMs, and pharmaceutical companies.

“Richard’s operational knowledge of complex areas of healthcare compliance and his excellent reputation as a testifying expert will be tremendously valuable to our clients,” said Jerry Lewandowski, a managing director at BRG.

Merino has advised clients on regulatory audits, fraud and abuse programs, compliance strategies, operational evaluations and dispute resolution. He has testified as an expert witness in matters relating to value-based care arrangements, specialty pharmacy, utilization management, and provider reimbursement disputes.

Merino joins BRG from Ankura, where he spent six years as a senior managing director leading healthcare operational improvement, compliance, and risk management engagements. Before that, he was a managing director at PwC and FTI Consulting and a director at Huron.

He began his consulting career at Navigant.

Merino has a JD from Mississippi College and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State University.

“Healthcare organizations face increasingly complex regulatory and operational challenges, and I look forward to helping clients advance with data-driven insights and practical solutions that drive compliance and performance and assist in dispute resolution,” Merino said.

BRG was founded in 2010 and has 1,600+ employees across 40+ global offices. The firm provides expert and consulting services in disputes and investigations, corporate finance, and performance improvement.

BRG recently appointed Jack Azagury, a former Accenture executive, as chair of the board.