FTI Consulting hires Jeremy Michaels for Public Affairs in South Africa

04 June 2019 Consultancy.co.za

Business advisory firm FTI Consulting has completed another step in its plans for expansion in South Africa, this time through the appointment of Jeremy Michaels as a Managing Director. Michaels will occupy a newly created Group Public Affairs manager for FTI’s entire South Africa practice.

Michaels has a background in journalism, and gained his experience as a political correspondent during a particularly vibrant time in South African politics – shortly after the country came under a democratic government. Since then, he has held a variety of roles in the public and private sectors.

With a masters degree in Journalism from Cardiff University, Michaels began his career as a journalist before joining the Ministry & Department of Mineral Resources in South Africa as its Head of Communication & International Relations. He then joined the Brunswick Group as a Director for a two-year spell.

Since 2013, Michaels has been the Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs at Ivanplats, a role that he will now vacate to move to global business advisory firm FTI Consulting. Since launching in South Africa in 2005, FTI Consulting has been gradually expanding its profile, a process that has been accelerated in recent years.

Jeremy Michaels, Managing Director at FTI Consulting South Africa

The firm has launched two new divisions – Economic & Finance Consulting and Forensic & Litigation Consulting – in South Africa since 2015, and absorbed an entire economics advisory firm by the name of Econex in March this year, with the objective of strengthening its Economic Consulting vertical.

Michaels will join the firm’s Strategic Communications vertical, which is the first division that FTI Consulting launched in South Africa. Based out of the firm’s Cape Tow Office, he takes up a newly created role of Managing Director for Group Public Affairs across all of South Africa.

In his new role, Michaels will work in collaboration with Coenraad Bezuidenhout, who is the Head of Public Affairs at FTI Consulting, but works solely within the Strategic Communications segment. His task is to expand FTI’s reach in the South African market, particularly into the lucrative mining sector.

Commenting on his appointment, Head of Strategic Communications at FTI Consulting South Africa Mac Gebhardt said, “Jeremy’s arrival is part of our ongoing investment in South Africa and a key driver for our long-term strategic ambitions in this market. As the political and economic reality continues to change on a daily basis in this complex environment, Jeremy’s experience and insight will enable us to provide the best possible advice to our clients.”