Risk Advisory opens Singapore office

This new location marks an important step in Risk Advisory’s wider growth strategy in the region by further strengthening our existing presence in Asia. 

Commenting on the office launch, Chris Rowley, Risk Advisory’s CEO said: “Our new Singapore base gives us a great chance to deepen our existing client relationships locally and further afield in Southeast Asia. We look forward to fostering new relationships with clients looking for fresh, local intelligence that can help them solve complex problems, seize opportunities and ensure they are doing business with integrity. It’s great to have Steven Westervelt leading these efforts – his experience helping senior decision makers navigate the Southeast Asia market will be invaluable to our clients.”

Steven, a long-term permanent resident of Singapore, joins with extensive knowledge of the local and wider Asia market. He has worked on many hundreds of investigations and strategic advisory cases across the region in the past decade, helping clients align investigative and intelligence strategies with their business plans. He has provided support to general counsels, heads of strategy, and government relations leads on engagements ranging from pre-investment due diligence of business partners, to strategic intelligence on client competitors. He is particularly knowledgeable on Malaysia and Vietnam business risks. Steven will also be responsible for establishing a presence for Risk Advisory’s sister company, Dragonfly.    

Steven said, “I am thrilled to have joined The Risk Advisory Group. I look forward to building on the great reputation of our Hong Kong office as we expand our footprint in Southeast Asia. Whilst we have been working with clients in Singapore since early days, having an office here will allow us even greater proximity to our many clients, and deepen our source network further.” 

Introducing Steven Westervelt

Why do you love what you do? 

Our business is one of constant intellectual stimulation. In the morning I could be speaking to a clean energy client about their market entry plans for Vietnam, and in the afternoon I could be speaking to the partner at a law firm about how their client’s competitors in Indonesia will leverage government relationships to hinder the latter’s business strategy. 

Our work demands mental flexibility that very few jobs offer on a daily basis. 

Why are you excited to take on this role? What kind of office are you looking to build?

Risk Advisory has a great reputation amongst investigative and advisory firms. I’m joining at a very important time for the company as we navigate the growth of our Hong Kong practice and launch and build up our office in Singapore. I am confident that with my knowledge of the Southeast Asia market, the expertise of my colleagues, and our collective leadership of the business, we will be able to deliver great results to our clients. 

I’m looking to build an office full of people smarter than me. I want a diverse team with a range of perspectives and experiences, who share their knowledge freely. I want people who take immense pride in having the trust of our clients. 

Singapore is a fantastic place to do business, with a high concentration of international firms and world class local companies. I want to develop relationships with clients who value what deep knowledge and best-in-class human intelligence can bring to an investment or litigation strategy. 

What do you bring to the role?

Having been in Asia for a decade, I have a strong understanding of how what we do can add direct and measurable value to a client’s business in the region.

What is Risk Advisory’s biggest advantage generally and specifically in the region? 

In general, we have a strong sense of what type of business we are, the clients we want, and the type of growth we want to achieve. This allows us to focus on providing our clients with exactly what they need. 

In the region, I’ve been really impressed by the quality of our source network, the standard of our work products, and the trust our clients have in us. 

What risks should businesses looking to invest in South-East Asia be aware of? How can our services help?  

Southeast Asia will become an increasingly attractive investment destination in the next few years, but, unfortunately, it will not become an easier place to do business. We have yet to see the diminution of corruption risks. Fraud is a constant concern. Data privacy regulations are disparate and often difficult to decipher. ESG regulations lag behind the rest of the world, propagating some bad behaviours. 

More than ever, clients need that second set of expert eyes to assess how these issues could derail their business plans. Our services provide the practical guidance clients need. 

Singapore office

Office 1639,
18 Robinson Road,
Level 2, 048547
Singapore
See our location on Google maps
T:  +65 6955 7670

For additional information please contact:

The Risk Advisory Group
+44 20 7578 0000
media@riskadvisory.com