FTI Consulting doubles down on the Middle East

• The Middle East is transforming—and FTI is right in the thick of it.
• Antoine Nasr, ex-Kearney and a trusted name in GCC public sector advisory is now Head of FTI Middle East.
• He will continue leading Strategy & Transformation while scaling the region-wide agenda.
• He succeeds Vikas Papriwal, who now leads Corporate Finance & Restructuring in the Middle East.

FTI’s Middle East momentum

FTI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., specializes in corporate finance, economic consulting, forensic support, strategic communications, and technology consulting, with 8,100+ professionals worldwide.

As of 2023, FTI had 300+ professionals in the region—with plans to double headcount to 600 within 2–3 years.

And they’ve backed it up:

Over the past few years, FTI has doubled down on the Middle East with bold moves and big wins.

• Advised top-tier governments on national reform agendas

• Led landmark restructuring deals across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf

• Become a go-to M&A advisor via FTI Capital Advisors, especially in TMT

• Expanded into valuations, due diligence, tax structuring, strategic comms, and forensics

• Supported mega clients including Sovereign Wealth Funds on high-stakes mandates

FTI now has boots on the ground in

• KAFD, Riyadh – Their new regional HQ
• DIFC, Dubai – (in 2023 moved to a new 20,000 sqft DIFC office)
• ADGM, Abu Dhabi
• Qatar

2023 saw new Senior appointments 

• Majdi Al-Madani – Senior MD, Forensic & Litigation, Riyadh

• Raed Masri – MD, Corporate Finance & Restructuring, Riyadh

• Adrian Predoi – MD, Construction, Projects & Assets

What’s next for FTI Middle East?

• Expansion into healthcare, transport, financial services & logistics

• More senior leadership hires across the region

• A long-term mission: “Scale faster. Go deeper. Build something lasting.

According to Lars Faeste, FTI’s EMEA Chairman, Nasr’s appointment is part of a bigger vision:

“We are building a platform for lasting, sustainable impact…

Under his leadership, we are confident the firm will deepen client relationships, expand its regional presence and enhance its standing as a leading consultancy in the market.”

Why everyone’s betting Big on Dubai & Saudi Arabia

Saudi’s Vision 2030 

• See this is a once-in-a-generation reform program that’s diversifying the economy away from oil!
• It’s unlocking trillions in public and private investments across sectors like tourism, fintech, logistics, AI, and clean energy.

Dubai’s D33

• Aiming to double the size of its economy by 2033, positioning itself as one of the top 3 global business hubs.

Result? Huge demand for strategic consulting, infrastructure, regulatory advisory, talent, and capital.

Sovereign Wealth Funds

• PIF (Saudi), Mubadala (Abu Dhabi), and ADQ have deep pockets and aggressive mandates to invest in local and global assets—across private equity, VC, real estate, and infrastructure.
• Dubai is also becoming a regional HQ hub for asset managers, family offices, and fintech players.

Mega Projects, Mega Demand

• Projects like NEOM and The Line are creating massive demand for consultants, strategists, engineers, and advisors.

Strategically located, the Middle East

• Global trade and finance hub—making it the world’s hottest consulting market today.

The Middle East is THE place to be…But it’s also highly competitive and “deeply relationship-driven”.