FTI Consulting, Inc. has announced the launch of its Technology segment in Switzerland, establishing the firm’s formal presence in the country. The launch includes the appointment of investigations expert Jerry Lay as a Senior Managing Director and the segment’s Switzerland lead. Mr. Lay will work closely with Technology segment leaders to drive growth across Germany, Switzerland and Austria, also known as the DACH region, and across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa more broadly to support clients in those markets.
Switzerland serves as a gateway for international and EU business, with sophisticated technology, financial, renewable energy, biotech and consumer products industries, the presence of major international organisations, including the UN Bank for International Settlements, and one of the world’s most influential arbitration courts. As a highly regulated country with a competitive economy, multinational corporations doing business in Switzerland require strong support and programmes across information governance, privacy, compliance, disputes and investigations and other critical risk areas.
“In the DACH region and worldwide, the landscape of risk is expanding, pressure from regulatory agencies continues to rise and technology advancement is accelerating rapidly,” said Sophie Ross, Global Chief Executive Officer of FTI Technology. “These and other factors are driving demand for our expertise and solutions, which presents a significant opportunity for FTI Consulting to serve domestic and international clients doing business in Switzerland. We continue to invest in our growth globally, and with the addition of Jerry and a presence in Switzerland and the broader DACH region, our Technology segment is positioned to better deliver services that combine local experts and solutions with the firm’s extensive global reach and depth of capabilities.”
Mr. Lay is an expert in investigations and applying technology solutions to deliver insights in matters involving complex data challenges. He brings more than 15 years of experience conducting major investigations and advising clients on enhancing compliance frameworks and functions. Mr. Lay has led numerous high-profile investigations related to allegations of fraud and corruption, misappropriation of assets, conflict of interest, market manipulation and data theft. He has worked with clients across a range of industries, including pharmaceuticals and life sciences, financial services and industrial products, and has extensive experience working in emerging markets.
Renato Fazzone, Europe Leader of FTI Technology and country leader for the segment in Germany, added, “In the current business environment in the DACH region, clients require the support of local experts who specialise in many of our core practice areas, including investigations, information governance, risk and compliance, as well as emerging areas such as blockchain, digital assets and resilience. Jerry’s leadership will be integral to our continued success of delivering across these areas in Switzerland.”
Prior to joining FTI Technology, Mr. Lay served in a leadership role in disputes and investigations at Alvarez & Marsal in Zurich. He has also held positions in digital forensics and investigations at a Big Four firm and served as the global chief financial officer of a pharmaceutical group of companies headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, where he led the internal services departments, including financial accounting and reporting, controlling, compliance, human resources and information technology.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Lay said, “Switzerland has an attractive, innovative economy that offers tremendous potential for many multinational businesses, and I look forward to partnering with our leadership and team of experts to help clients succeed in this unique market.”
FTI Technology has also expanded its partnership with Relativity to provide the cloud-based e-discovery solution RelativityOne in Switzerland. By offering RelativityOne, FTI Technology provides law firms and in-house legal, compliance and risk teams with expert workflows, advanced analytics and a flexible and secure platform to reduce the cost and complexity of large, and often global, matters. The firm also provides its clients with an enhanced Relativity solution that leverages its own proprietary technology and add-ons from software partners, alongside the global consulting expertise of FTI Technology professionals.