BrazilPierre Mariani joins AlixPartners as Managing Director out of Dubai
AlixPartners has appointed international financial services expert and former French government aide Pierre Mariani as a Managing Director in the firm’s Dubai office.
Following the recent appointment of ex-Strategy& senior partner Gabriel Chahine to lead its Middle East practice in a significant regional push, and the addition of an office in Saudi Arabia, global consulting firm AlixPartners has announced a fresh coup with the appointment of long-time French government aide and international finance expert Pierre Mariani as a Managing Director in its financial services practice to be based out of Dubai.
“We are delighted to welcome Pierre to AlixPartners,” AlixPartners CEO Simon Freakley said of the appointment. “Our financial services practice continues to grow and in this volatile, global industry Pierre’s depth of knowledge and extensive hands-on experience will be of great benefit to our clients as we help them navigate their most complex challenges.”
Mariani kicked off his career in 1982 with the French Ministry of Finance, where he spent nearly a decade, ultimately serving as former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s Chief of Staff during his period as Minister of Budget and being appointed both Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur and Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite by the French state for his service to government.
Since then, Mariani has led several financial institutions as a member of the executive committee, including a nine-year stint with BNP Paribas which culminated in the role of the bank’s Deputy-CEO and co-head of Retail banking, as well as serving as CEO of European banking group Dexia following the onset of the global economic crisis. More recently, Mariani has acted as an independent consultant and board-member for several high-profile organisations including Electricité de France.
During his time as an independent consultant, Mariani has also served as a senior advisor to global strategy and management firms Bain & Company and his former employer Roland Berger, where he spent over four years as a senior partner based out of Dubai – where he will continue to stationed in his new position with AlixPartners’ financial services practice while serving the firm’s global clientele.
Led by the charismatic and driven Freakley, the high-profile turn-around specialists (who were recently brought in by Abraaj health-fund investors to oversee its split from the Abraaj Group in the UAE) have in recent times embarked on a determined global growth strategy – and have identified the Middle East as a significant opportunity. “We have ambitious plans for the Gulf region,” AlixPartners’ Managing Director and head of its EMEA business unit Michael Baur recently stated.
