BrazilDeloitte adds Richard Hayler as Disputes and Arbitration leader
Deloitte has brought in Richard Hayler as its new Southeast Asia Disputes and Arbitration Leader. Hayler crosses from FTI Consulting – continuing the recent personnel shuffle in the regional forensics space.
Following the onboarding of veteran forensics expert Jarrod Baker as its new Forensic Investigations Leader for Southeast Asia earlier this year, global professional services leader Deloitte has added another ex-FTI Consulting executive to its regional forensics practice with the appointment of Richard Hayler as its new Southeast Asia Disputes and Arbitration leader. It’s Hayler’s second stint at the Big Four firm.
Originally starting out as an auditor in the chemicals, pharmaceuticals & energy practice of fellow Big Four firm KPMG in the UK (via a five-year Technical Director role with specialist life sciences consultancy Primarius), Hayler after three years crossed to Deloitte in 2008, serving as an Associate Director for its Forensic & Dispute Services division in London, and then from 2012 in Singapore.
From there, Hayler joined the Singapore office of FTI Consulting’s Economic & Financial practice, promoted to senior managing director at the beginning of last year. Now, like his colleague Baker, Hayler has returned for his second stint with Deloitte, after respectively four and nearly six years with FTI. Meanwhile, FTI recently added e-discovery expert Christopher Marks as a senior managing director – continuing its global raid on Ernst & Young.
“I am delighted to be returning to Deloitte rejoining old friends and being on board with a great team,” Hayler said. This is an exciting time to be back at Deloitte as the firm has made great strides integrating to serve its clients across Asia Pacific better and I look forward to being part of that success.” As of September last year, Deloitte began integrating its Asia Pacific arms into single operational unit – with a co-attendant $321 million investment committed to human capital.
Hayler across his career has developed expertise in a broad range of competencies around forensics, disputes and litigation, including complex valuations, M&A and contractual disputes, accounting irregularities; alleged misappropriation, asset tracing and fraud investigations among others – having led or advised teams multiple jurisdictions in “some of the largest and most complex cases in the last decade.”
“Having Richard in our leadership team is a strong market differentiator,” said Tim Phillipps, Deloitte’s Financial Crime Strategy and Response Network leader for APAC. “His track record and extensive experience will be critical as we continue to expand and strengthen our presence in the Southeast Asia region. It will enhance our capacity to serve our clients, and ensure that we continue to provide clear, timely and insightful counsel.”
In addition to Deloitte, Hayler serves on the Standards Review Board of the International Valuation Standards Council, as well as being a member of the adjunct faculty at Singapore Management University’s School of Law and the Honorary Treasurer for the Board of Directors of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Singapore. He was also last year a group representative for financial & fintech business group with the local British Chamber of Commerce.
According to the firm, Hayler’s recruitment forms part of its plans to expand its forensics services in the region – a practice which has already grown substantially in recent years to include more than 125 dedicated forensic practitioners based in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, with growth driven by investment in disputes and arbitration, electronic discovery, investigations, forensic digital platforms and financial crime advisory and analytics among other areas.
