Alvarez & Marsal has expanded its Global Forensic and Dispute Services group with the addition of Managing Director John Brennan, a former Senior Detective at New Scotland Yard, and Managing Director Eric Stovall, a veteran expert witness and arbitrator focused on litigation and post-acquisition disputes. Brennan is based in Washington, D.C.; Stovall is based in Chicago and Washington, D.C.
With more than 30 years of investigative and security experience, Brennan advises companies, boards of directors and legal counsel on corporate compliance, risk and security issues. He pioneered the use of undercover operations in the corporate environment as Chief Executive Officer of Maxima Group in 1998. Since then, he has consistently delivered risk-focused anti-bribery / corruption, anti-fraud, anti-terrorism and governance training programs to major corporations and governments.
Stovall, who brings more than 20 years of financial and consulting experience as an expert witness, advises corporate clients, law firms and outside counsel across a range of business, financial and accounting-based issues, with special expertise as an expert and arbitrator in post-acquisition disputes. He applies significant knowledge in complex damage analysis involving lost profits, reasonable royalty, prejudgment interest, unjust enrichment and lost sales on disputes involving breach of contract, intellectual property, class actions, accountant’s liability and fraud. Mr. Stovall has also served as an expert witness in federal and state court and arbitration proceedings.
“As the propensity of both white collar crime and larger-scale litigations continue to rise, the arrival of these two seasoned and well-respected professionals augments A&M’s already strong, global capabilities,” said Bryan Ruez, Managing Director and Co-Leader of A&M’s Global Forensic and Dispute Services. “With John’s focus on the application of human intelligence to forensic accounting and Eric’s deep commitment to delivering world-class litigation expertise in a nimble and responsive manner, A&M clients will benefit from the proven expertise of our firm’s latest senior appointments.”
Brennan and Stovall join an experienced global team that includes recently added Houston-based Managing Director David Leathers, a nationally recognized financial and valuation expert, and veteran energy economist Senior Director Jane Kidd.
Immediately prior to joining A&M, Brennan led the expansion of Guidepost Solutions LLC – a global investigations and security company - into Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Before that, he founded The Trust Strategy Group, served as a Vice President with Charles River Associates where he launched the Corporate Intelligence and Investigative Services practice, and extended his investigative expertise to the commercial world with a role at Network Security Management Limited in London. Earlier in his career, he led New Scotland Yard’s Regional Crime Squad Covert Firearms Team and was recognized with a Bramshill Fellowship for his police work with Jamaican organized crime.
Before joining A&M, Stovall was a partner with KPMG, where he served as practice and industry leader. He has assisted clients with internal investigations as a consultant to special committees of publicly-registered companies related to allegations of improper financial conduct, SEC and other regulatory inquiries, and restatements. He also regularly counsels clients facing accounting reconstructions, financial statement restatements, difficulty meeting reporting and / or audit deadlines, delayed filings and potential de-listing.
Privately-held since 1983, A&M is a leading global professional services firm that delivers business performance improvement, turnaround management and advisory services to organizations seeking to transform operations, catapult growth and accelerate results through decisive action. Our senior professionals are experienced operators, world-class consultants and industry veterans who leverage the firm's restructuring heritage to help leaders turn change into a strategic business asset, manage risk and unlock value at every stage.