Forensic Risk Alliance (FRA), a forensic accounting and data governance consultancy specialising in international and complex investigations, compliance and disputes, is pleased to announce that Uriel Goldberg has joined the firm’s global forensic accounting team as a director, based in Paris. Uriel joins after five years serving as forensic accounting expert in the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (PNF).      

Uriel’s depth of technical expertise and breadth of industry experience further boost FRA’s credentials as an integrated team of forensic specialists focused on regulatory investigations, civil and criminal disputes and compliance challenges. The global firm has provided forensic accounting and data governance solutions to multinational companies with French operations since its founding in 1999, with its Paris office opening in 2007. FRA has worked on many landmark regulatory enforcement cases that have involved French companies, including Total, Alstom, and, most recently, the multijurisdictional investigation of Airbus, which settled with four national authorities (including the PNF) for a landmark €3.6 billion in 2020. Uriel’s hire is the firm’s latest investment in ensuring clients benefit from both global and local expertise.

In his 27 years serving in various accounting, financial and legal roles, Uriel has established particular expertise in financial crime investigations. His most recent role in the PNF involved driving high profile and complex investigations of multinational companies.

At the PNF, Uriel provided technical advice on accounting and financial aspects of investigations, helping to establish efficient investigation strategies. He also played a key role in negotiations relating to the conclusion of French Deferred Prosecution Agreements (“Convention Judiciaire d’Intérêt Public”, or CJIP). He is well versed in working with companies’ legal and financial departments, senior management and external counsel, to reach sustainable and effective agreements. 

Uriel started his career with Arthur Andersen and had in-house roles prior to joining the PNF, including heading Legal and Finance teams at the Ecole du Louvre and taking part in the pre-opening team of the Musée du quai Branly. In his early career as an auditor, he worked in New York for three years.

Uriel is a French Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE).

Toby Duthie, FRA co-founding partner, said: “Uriel’s governmental insight and experience in applying forensic accounting expertise to successfully navigate complex regulatory matters are a perfect addition to FRA’s core capabilities. The French regulatory environment and the role of its key actors have evolved rapidly in recent years. I am delighted that Uriel will be able to offer our law firm and corporate clients in France – or those multinationals with a French nexus – current insight into French regulatory landscape.”

Uriel Goldberg, director at FRA, said: “I am excited to join FRA’s leading specialist team of forensic accountants and investigators, and to be able to help companies and their counsel respond  to the fast evolving regulatory environment in France and internationally. FRA’s long-standing experience of complex cross-border matters, often involving multiple regulators, jurisdictions and data management strategies, is what drew me to return to consultancy. I am thrilled to be joining at a time when clients are most in need of tailored investigative and compliance solutions that anticipate regulatory trends and a post-Covid working environment.”