John is Market Director for Canada. Based in Toronto, he has responsibility for working with Control Risks' Canada-based clients. He has extensive experience consulting to investors and multinational companies across all industries, particularly in relation to matters in emerging and frontier markets.
Working with a major financial services institution on an investigation spanning several countries in East Africa. The matter included misappropriation of funds, links to political figures, and concerns relating to the safety and security of company personnel.
Providing pre-transaction diligence to an investor considering a stake in a major independent power project in West Africa. The work included an assessment of the consideration given to engagement by the project with critical suppliers and a state-owned company; dynamics between the project and stakeholders local to the area; physical security risks to the asset and their materiality to the Client's potential investment; and third-party risks.
Leading a project to develop a security risk assessment and pre-FEED concept for an energy megaproject in Europe, spanning several countries.
Assisting a portfolio company of a Canadian private equity firm plan for, and ultimately extricate itself from a business relationship with a hostile third party in Europe. The work included development of contingency planning for the transition, management of the process to select an alternate vendor and provision of strategic and tactical support during the notification and transition process.
Since joining Control Risks in 2005, John has worked with clients on-the-ground in more than 40 countries, advising on strategies to maximise their commercial opportunities, develop management systems and capability to address risk, and respond to issues and crises. Immediately prior to his current role in Canada, John was a Director based in Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya. He was previously held several roles in the firm's London headquarters, including Operations Manager for North Africa.
John holds a BA from McGill University, a MLitt from the University of St. Andrews, and an International Diploma in Risk Management from the UK's Institute of Risk Management. He is also a certified Governance, Risk and Compliance Professional (GRCP) and is a trained project manager (PRINCE2).