Berkeley Research Group opens Johannesburg office
California-based strategic advisory firm Berkeley Research Group (BRG) is significantly expanding its presence in Africa, having announced the opening of a new office in Johannesburg. The announcement comes on the back of a high-profile appointment to the firm’s Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) division.
BRG is a consulting firm with a global presence, offering a variety of services across three broad categories: Disputes & investigations, corporate finance, and strategy & operations. The versatile firm has the capacity to support clients from a variety of industries, having worked with businesses from the construction, technology, energy and healthcare fields among others.
The firm has been growing in profile since its establishment in 2010, and recently ramped up its presence in the EMEA region through the appointment of Greg Harman as the new Managing Director of the practice. Harman joined from advisory firm FTI Consulting, which – given its expertise in the forensics & litigation sphere – is among BRG’s main competitors worldwide.
The two are now set to compete directly for business in the South African market, following BRG’s announcement that it has opened a new office in the city, with an office opening reception to be hosted in February next year. Aside from financial and economic advice, the South Africa division will support firms with disputes, investigations and regulation, all of which are becoming increasingly crucial in the South African business environment.
To lead the South Africa office, BRG will deploy Mark Williams, presently a Managing Director at the firm. Williams leads the technology, media and telecommunications portfolio for the BRG’s EMEA practice, and has a wealth of experience in the domain of economics and consulting.
A former Partner at Deloitte in London, Williams has also worked as a Senior Economist for the World Bank in the Washington D.C. Area. During his time at the World Bank, he also worked in Johannesburg for a spell, which gives him a degree of familiarity with the South African market. He is a graduate from Oxford and Warwick universities.
Williams indicated that the Johannesburg office “will help BRG to expand its activities in the African market,” indicating the firm’s plans to establish a firm presence on the continent. According to his statement, the firm will add more expertise to its ranks by the end of this year.
Harman also indicated the motivation behind the move, stating, “BRG has a strong track record of advising clients in Africa, with our specialists having worked extensively across the region as expert consultants to private companies, governments, regulators and international organisations. Our new permanent office in South Africa signifies our commitment to the region as we continue to see a surging demand for our services.”
