HKA, the leading global consultancy in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, expert witness and litigation support services, announces a significant hire in its Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages (FACD) practice, as Nick Panes joins the firm to focus on investigative, political risk, business intelligence, and regulatory compliance assignments.

Based in London, Nick will support client delivery across the EMEA region, working alongside the fast-growing Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages Partner team.   

“I am thrilled to welcome Nick to our EMEA Partner team as he brings a wealth of experience and a highly regarded reputation in investigations from around the world to our FACD offering. Collectively having acted on over $300bn worth of cases, and with 12 WWL Thought Leaders or Global Elite Thought Leaders on board, our FACD practice continues to go from strength to strength globally and Nick will be instrumental as part of this strategic growth strategy.”

Amanda Clack – Partner and Regional CEO, EMEA

Nick brings more than 20 years of experience focusing on complex, multi-jurisdictional matters, with his career split between investigations, post-event problem-solving, and risk management consultancy across a wide range of sectors and geographies, including postings in Mexico City, New Delhi, Sydney and London. In addition to event and compliance-driven investigations, Nick has been engaged in the development of governance structures – including the application of associated risk identification, evaluation, and mitigation measures – to minimise his clients’ risk exposure.

He has worked across the full spectrum of projects, from strategic advisory work to tactical support. Previous projects have included designing and implementing risk management systems across multiple industries, conducting and managing complex and sensitive investigative matters on behalf of clients, and the design and implementation of pre-transaction due diligence and anti-corruption risk assessment tools to bolster organisational resilience.  Nick also has extensive experience in strategic business intelligence and stakeholder mapping for energy and infrastructure projects in Africa, Latin America and South Asia, asset tracing and recovery assignments across multiple jurisdictions, fraud and corruption risk assessments across several sectors, and anti-money laundering audits to ensure compliance with the relevant national financial authorities’ statutory requirements.

“With a global forensic accounting and commercial damages practice of over 140 people and, within that, a growing team of 8 Partners in our EMEA region, it is time to expand into the investigations space in Europe, and Nick is perfectly positioned to do that. His work in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, as well as Europe, will enable him to work alongside colleagues around the world to further develop our global investigations practice.”                   

Colin Johnson – Partner and FACD Lead, EMEA

Nick was rankedin the Political Risk category by Chambers & Partners in their Crisis & Risk Management Guide 2021 and 2022; is a Member of the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS); a Member of the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists (ACSS) and has Certificate III in Investigative Services and Certificate IV in Government (Fraud Control).

Prior to joining HKA, Nick was with J.S. Held, Charles River Associates and for over 18 years at Control Risks.

Nick said: “I am delighted to be joining HKA and the FACD team at an exciting time in the firm’s growth story. I very much look forward to working with colleagues across the group to support their existing teams, bring additional capabilities and generate new opportunities.

View Nick’s full expert profile

ABOUT HKA

HKA is a leading global consultancy in risk mitigation and dispute resolution, using our multi-disciplinary expertise to provide a comprehensive set of specialist services:

• Expert, Claims and Advisory services for the capital projects and infrastructure sector
• Forensic Accounting and Commercial Damages services for all types of contracts, including commercial and investment treaty disputes.
• Consulting services to support companies working on US Federal Government contracts.

Headquartered in the UK, HKA brings a proud record of excellent service and high achievement to bear on today’s challenges. As trusted independent consultants, experts and advisers, we help clients manage disputes, risk and uncertainty on complex contracts and challenging projects.

We work with government agencies, local authorities, contractors, legal firms, and other professional service providers, as well as owners and operators, financial institutions and insurers. Clients have access to leaders and problem-solvers who decode complexity through collaborative working and innovative thinking, making the best possible outcomes a reality for our clients, every time.

As well as more than 500 expert witnesses, HKA now has in excess of 500 advisors and consultants – across 40+ offices in 18 countries – with the skills and experience that are essential to get to the heart of even the most complex issues. Our people have vast first-hand experience spanning all major industries and the world’s most complex megaprojects, as well as an international track record of achieving successful outcomes.

HKA’s global portfolio includes some of the world’s largest and most prestigious commissions across a wide range of industries including buildings, industrial and manufacturing, power and utilities, resources, transportation infrastructure, technology, financial services, government contracts and non-profit.

Media contact:

Name	Suzanne Rayson
Title	Marketing & Communications Director, Europe
Number	+44 1928 756 500
Email	SuzanneRayson@hka.com