Profile: Tommy Helsby

Since joining Kroll in 1981, Tommy Helsby has been at the heart of the firm’s growth from a single office in New York to 60 offices around the world.  In his first ten years, in the New York office, he helped found and develop the firm’s core due diligence business, and managed many of the corporate contest projects for which Kroll became well known in the 1980s.  He has been based in the London office since 1991, becoming European Chairman in 1999 and Chairman for Eurasia in 2010.

Tommy was instrumental in building the firm’s substantial business in Russia and the CIS and has developed good relationships with many of the major players in that part of the world.  More recently, he has focused on India, but is very active throughout Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia.  He plays a strategic role both for the firm and in advising many of its key clients, both in dispute work and in corporate transactions, drawing on his long experience of both sides of Kroll’s consulting services.  He has established a particular niche in reputation-related engagements, particularly on behalf of entrepreneurial clients from emerging markets whose antecedents and track record lack the transparency which Western markets expect.
 

He has been involved with innumerable high profile engagements, most of which remain confidential.  One exception was a review of the criminal investigation for corruption of the deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, which received enormous local public attention.  Tommy is a regular commentator in both broadcast and printed media, and has published articles in national newspapers and trade journals such as Acquisitions Monthly, Mining Journal and Legal Strategy Review.  He is also a regular speaker at conferences and seminars, most recently on the impact of increased regulation, particularly the FCPA and UK Bribery Act.

Professional Experience

• Corporate Investigations. Tommy’s vast expertise includes corporate disputes, corporate crisis management, reputational audits, pre-acquisition analysis, fraud investigations, complex litigation matters involving cross-border issues, asset searches and hostile takeovers.
• Due diligence. During the 1980s Tommy was instrumental in establishing Kroll’s due diligence and corporate contest practices in New York.

Education & Certification

• University of Cambridge, BA and MA in Mathematics and Philosophy

Professional Affiliations

• Former Director of the Centre for International Business and Management, Judge Institute, University of Cambridge