AlixPartners buys risk and investigations consultancy FGIS
Within two months of bolstering its economic consultancy offerings, AlixPartners has now acquired Freeh Group International Solutions, a 25-strong risk consultancy based in Wilmington, Delaware.
Freeh Group International Solutions, known as FGIS, was founded in 2007 by former FBI Director and former federal judge Louie Freeh. Under his leadership, the firm grew into a boutique consultancy with a strong track record in business integrity and compliance, investigations and due diligence, and independent counsel.
Simon Freakley, CEO of AlixPartners, said, “FGIS has a stellar reputation and track record in high profile investigations.” Cases the firm has worked on include the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Madoff Investment Securities Ponzi scheme, the MF Global bankruptcy, and the FIFA bribery investigation. FGIS serves both governments and public sector agencies as well as private sector companies.
According to Louie Freeh, Chairman of FGIS, joining forces with AlixPartners – which he describes as “one of the most respected global consulting firms” – will enable FGIS to broaden its service portfolio while exposing the firm to a global client base. “AlixPartners’ broad, global investigations platform and our collective deep relationships in the legal and enforcement worlds will enable us to serve an ever growing roster of clients.”
As part of the deal, Louie Freeh, Jim Bucknam (president & CEO) and all of the other professionals of FGIS – legal consultants, accountants, consultants, and security and compliance experts – will join AlixPartners. FGIS will continue to operate from its Wilmington, Delaware office, becoming AlixPartners’ tenth locale in the United States.
Meanwhile, Freeh, who will going forward no longer practice law (and step down from the affiliated law firm of Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan), has been named vice chairman at AlixPartners and a member of the firm’s management committee.
Louis Dudney, the global leader of AlixPartners’ investigations, disputes and risk practice, said, “The addition of FGIS strengthens our investigations and compliance practices, as well as add complementary capabilities to our digital investigations services. Combining our businesses will add to our best-in-class complex investigations offering for our clients globally.”
AlixPartners in June closed another deal in the US, buying Matrix Economics, an antitrust litigation specialist based in Boston. The transaction was its first since the 2018 acquisition of Zolfo Cooper in the US.
