Neil Hayward returns to Alvarez & Marsal’s leadership team in the Middle East
Global management consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal has welcomed back its former Turnaround & Restructuring leader to its Middle East team.
Appointed as a Managing Director and based in Riyadh, Neil Hayward will lead the firm’s Middle East restructuring practice, supporting corporates, investors, and government entities in navigating complex financial and operational challenges. He brings 28 years of international experience delivering turnaround and restructuring mandates, both as an advisor and as a C-suite executive.
Restructuring is one of Alvarez & Marsal’s flagship service lines. The firm has specialized in turnaround and restructuring since its founding in 1983 and gained global recognition for its expertise following its appointment as the lead advisor in the landmark restructuring of Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, which remains one of the largest and most complex cases in history.
In the Middle East, the firm’s restructuring team has built a similarly strong reputation, with the practice ranked among the region’s leading restructuring advisors last year.
The practice supports clients across a wide range of situations, including operational turnarounds, financial restructuring, interim management, insolvency, and cash management. The team also works closely with other practices to deliver integrated solutions across transactions (distressed M&A) and performance improvement initiatives.
Hayward previously led the Turnaround & Restructuring practice in the Middle East between 2017 and 2020 before relocating to Australia, where he spent time at KordaMentha prior to re-joining Alvarez & Marsal in the country.
Commenting on his return to the region, Hayward said: “The current conflict, where organizations must stabilize in the short term while positioning themselves for long-term growth, combined with changing government funding priorities, provides a challenging market environment. And this is where Alvarez & Marsal in its element.”
“I look forward to working with clients across the Middle East to deliver practical, sustainable solutions that create real impact and results.”
Throughout his career, which has seen him work across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania, Hayward has advised on several high-profile and complex restructuring situations. His experience spans sectors including energy, mining, media, manufacturing, food, and healthcare, where he has supported both governments and private-sector clients.
In addition to his advisory work, Hayward has held multiple executive leadership positions, including Chief Restructuring Officer, Interim CEO, and CFO. In these roles, he has led cost-optimization programs, stabilized operations, and delivered sustainable financial recovery. Notably, he led a global oilfield services business through a turnaround process that delivered significant EBITDA improvement within six months through targeted cost and cash-flow initiatives.
