Middle East & Africa

J.S. Held in the Middle East & Africa

We have more than 1,500 professionals who serve as trusted advisors to organisations across six continents, including 84% of the Global 200 Law Firms, 75% of the Forbes Top 20 Insurance Companies, and 71% of Fortune 100 Companies.

As the focus on innovative development in the region continues to grow, organisations throughout the Middle East and Africa, and those with interests in the region, engage our experts to address a wide range of business issues. Our experts understand the evolving regional landscapes in the Middle East and Africa and have the experience needed to navigate its challenges.

We provide expertise in matters involving construction, engineering, business intelligence and investigations, government relations, valuation and economic damages, intellectual property, the environment, health and safety, forensic accounting, turnaround and restructuring, and regulatory compliance.

Key Contacts: Middle East

Our professionals serve as trusted advisors to organisations facing high stakes matters that demand urgent attention, staunch integrity, proven experience, clear-cut analysis, and an understanding of both tangible and intangible assets.

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Chris Dean
Managing Director | Construction Advisory
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Oliver Johnson
Managing Director | Construction Advisory
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Gary Kitt
Senior Managing Director | Construction Advisory EMEA & APAC Lead
London, United Kingdom
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Ashley Messick
Senior Managing Director | Global Investigations
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Peter Pender-Cudlip
Senior Managing Director | Global Investigations
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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Daniel Thorpe
Executive Vice President | Forensic Accounting - Insurance Services
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Key Contacts: Africa

Experts across the firm are engaged to advise clients seeking to realise value and mitigate risk in Africa. Below are key contacts whose entire practice is focused on matters pertaining to the region.

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Piers Dawson
Managing Director | Strategic Advisory, Africa
London, United Kingdom
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Indigo Ellis
Managing Director | Strategic Advisory, Africa
London, United Kingdom
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Featured News

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

J.S. Held is recognised as a Leader in the 2025 Verdantix Green Quadrant for Enterprise Risk Management Consulting Services.

This recognition highlights our expertise in risk advisory spanning business intelligence; climate and energy; cyber and digital; supply chain; ESG, EHS, and sustainability; organisational, operational, and reputational risk; tangible and intangible assets; and regulatory risk and compliance.

> Learn more about the award and our enterprise risk management expertise.

2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report

In the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report, we provide insight into cutting-edge and high-stakes issues facing businesses this year, including:

Sustainability investments & headwinds
Global supply chain challenges
The rise of crypto & digital assets
Artificial intelligence, data & digital regulations
Managing cyber risk  

> To learn more about the risks and opportunities associated with these topics, view the report here.

IAM STRATEGY 300

We are proud to recognise several experts in our Intellectual Property practice who are among the world’s leading IP strategists in the 2024 IAM Strategy 300: 

David Kennedy

Larry Tedesco

Ozer Teitelbaum

Marek Wernik

Sam Wiley

Ryan Zurek

> Learn more about their recognition

J.S. HELD WELCOMES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SPECIALTY SERVICES EXPERTS TIMOTHY DORNEY & SAM WILEY

Dr. Timothy Dorney will serve as the Technical Lead for IP Specialty Services, leveraging over 35 years of experience as an inventor, patent agent, and licensing professional in his role.

Sam Wiley brings over 20 years of IP and innovation experience to the firm and will serve as the Strategic Business Intelligence Lead for IP Specialty Services.

To learn more about Timothy and Sam and the IP Specialty Services solutions they deliver, view the press release.

WELCOME DAVID KENNEDY & LARRY TEDESCO

Ocean Tomo, a part of J.S. Held, is pleased to welcome intellectual property experts David Kennedy and Larry Tedesco as Senior Managing Directors in the firm.

David is an expert in intellectual property valuation and negotiating the economics of patent sales and licensing agreements. He has been acknowledged as one of the World’s IP Strategists by Intellectual Asset Management for each of the last 11 years.

Larry has over 25 years of IP development, valuation, monetization, and enforcement expertise, both as an operator and consultant. He has determined FRAND royalty rates for Standard Essential Patents and performed damages evaluations. 

To learn more, view the press release.

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

We are proud to recognise our asset recovery and investigations experts in EMEA and APAC ranked as industry leaders by Who’s Who Legal (WWL). These team members are featured among the foremost consulting experts in forensic accounting and corporate investigations, as well as in tracing and recovering assets.

To learn more about the awards, view the press release.

GLOBAL LEADERS IN ASSET TRACING & RECOVERY

Peter Pender-Cudlip receives Band 1 ranking from Chambers and Partners for Global Asset Tracing & Recovery.

> Click here to read the press release.

GLOBAL LEADERS IN ASSET TRACING & RECOVERY

Ashley Messick receives Band 1 ranking from Chambers and Partners for Global Asset Tracing & Recovery.

> Click here to read the press release.

INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

J.S. Held is recognised by Chambers and Partners as a global leader in multiple industry categories within Crisis & Risk Management 2024 and Litigation Support 2024.

We are proud to receive Band 1 rankings for Asset Tracing & Recovery and Political Risk, a Band 2 ranking for Business Intelligence & Investigations (Asia Pacific), and Band 3 rankings for Environmental, Social & Governance Risk; Investigative Due Diligence; and Business Intelligence & Investigations (UK).

> Click here to read the press release.

IN THE MEDIA

Major Western mining companies are struggling to compete in the race for Africa’s critical raw materials, as they lag behind Middle Eastern oil powers and China in investing on the continent. With major demand growth predicted, executives from these companies are contesting to secure promising projects in Africa, but they face shareholder concerns and complex ESG considerations in the process.

In this article published by Reuters, J.S. Held Managing Consultant Patrick Edmond provides insight on strategic considerations for major mining companies in navigating these challenges.

> Click here to read the article on Reuters.

J.S. Held has acquired Africa Matters Limited, expanding the firm’s Global Investigations Practice in Africa. With offices in London and Kampala (Uganda), Africa Matters Limited provides business intelligence, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability consulting to companies considering investment in and conducting business across the African continent.

> Click here to read the press release.

J.S. Held Expands Global Investigations Practice with the Acquisition of GPW Group

The addition of the GPW team brings over 20 of the industry’s leading intelligence and disputes experts into J.S. Held's Global Investigations Practice and bolsters the firm's presence in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East.

> Click here to read the press release.

Featured Insights

Our insights cover a variety of topics impacting businesses, society, the economy, and the environment throughout the Middle East and Africa. Check out our latest white papers, research reports, educational seminars, industry speaking engagements, and perspective articles by consultants in the region.

Our Experts