BrazilClyde & Co brings its forensics advisory arm to the Middle East
Global law firm Clyde & Co has brought its forensics and investigations advisory capability to the Middle East. Leading the new regional offering is former Big Four senior Neal Ysart.
With a team of more than 40 partners and 300 staff, Clyde & Co is one of the larger international law firms with a presence in the Middle East. Expanding the portfolio of its regional Regulatory & Investigations practice, the firm is now launching a consulting arm specialised in investigations on fraudulent or illegal (financial) activity.
“Typically, organisations have to engage both management consultants and lawyers to achieve their objectives in regulatory. This new service will provide a one-stop-shop that will save both time and money, and also help ensure that any legal or regulatory concerns are identified early,” explained Matthew Shanahan – who helms the Regulatory & Investigations practice in the Middle East.
Around the world, Clyde & Co’s Regulatory & Investigations practice supports clients with compliance across their entire business – be it adherence to domestic financial stipulations or navigating the international legal minefield.
The firm is well versed with existing regulatory frameworks, and is equipped to respond speedily to new laws – a dime-a-dozen in the current business environment. An experienced team of regulators, management consultants and law enforcement specialists will now bring this complex service offering to the Middle East.
The goal is to help an increasingly vibrant and international business environment avoid the risk of financial crime, or conduct investigations if breaches do occur. New businesses are emerging in the region everyday, and the complexity of entrepreneurship often leads to inadvertent regulatory breaches – particularly in an age of technology and data laws.
Neal Ysart
The face of Clyde & Co’s new consulting charge is Neal Ysart – a 35-year veteran who has been installed as Lead Regulatory & Investigations Advisor at the Dubai office. A police officer by background, Ysart was at Scotland Yard for more than 16 years leading covert investigations into human trafficking.
His first professional services experience came in 2000, when he joined Big Four accounting and advisory firm PwC as a Senior Manager for Forensic Services – running regulatory and anti-money laundering investigations globally. Ysart came to Dubai in 2014 to head HSBC’s Group ‘Know-your-Customer’ operations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
Most recently, he was a Director at fellow Big Four firm EY – helping clients manage security threats. Shanahan praised Ysart’s “unique investigations experience,” highlighting his strategic value for the global Regulatory & Investigations practice at Clyde & Co.
Ysart described his new challenge as an “exciting opportunity,” lauding the innovative new model. “I am absolutely delighted to join a firm with such an extensive offering and reputation as Clyde & Co. This is a unique approach and I believe that businesses will certainly benefit from legal know-how and regulatory interpretation being integrated into deliverables.”
