Jacqui, please tell us a little more about your background:

I am a UK Chartered Accountant. I trained with a Big 4 in London with a focus on banking and finance. On qualifying I moved into insolvency and based on my experience was seconded to the SFO as part of a specialist forensic accounting team. At that time my firm was setting up a Forensic practice and on finishing my secondment and after taking a year’s leave to do some travelling, I moved full time into Forensics, working on the Maxwell Investigation.

After getting married, we decided to travel and sail around the world, and we ended up in South Africa. I joined another Big Accounting firm and set up their Forensic Practice (later moving to another Big 4 and after children some freelance work). Based on the investigations, I started testifying in criminal matters, this eventually led to me testifying in International Arbitration and High Court assessing damages where there were fraud issues and from there to doing more dispute work generally (at this time most Accounting firms were just beginning to set up Disputes Teams within their Forensic Practices).

After 13 years in South Africa and two beautiful girls, we decided to move back to UK, and I joined a Boutique Firm in London and focussed on Disputes. After 2 years, the weather and commute led us to move to Dubai, where I have been for the last almost 16 years. I joined a Big 4 Forensic Team and 7 years later moved to a Boutique firm to start their Forensic Accounting practice working closely with their Construction Team. I have recently moved to PwC to head their dispute practice.

 

What has been the highlight of your career?

Always the hardest cases, make the most interesting stories. After almost 40 years of working and 35 years testifying, it is hard to pick. Maxwell was fascinating; I was an Expert Assessor with the Public Protector in South Africa reporting to parliament in a high-profile matter and had to go back to work 8 weeks after my first daughter was born as the matter had not finished! I have worked on some of the largest disputes globally and with fantastic lawyers, but the mid-sized jobs are also interesting and challenging. I have also found working in the local Arabic courts with my Arabic team brings a broader dimension.

Overall, however, the highlight for me has been bringing through new testifying experts in my team, this includes forensic accounting experts like me, but also experts in other disciplines. I think it is only once someone is testifying for the first time that they really understand why as an Expert we are so hands-on and need to think around every issue so fully.

 

What has been the biggest challenge of your career?

As many women experts may say, juggling my career and my children / family. I think now after Covid it is a little easier as there is some more flexibility, but there are many (in my view dinosaurs) who are trying to reverse that. Flexibility is not about working less or being less client focused, but about being flexible both ways. People like to meet people (all my hearings are back in person), and it is important we engage in person, but that should not mean we cannot be flexible. I was pleased when I asked my girls what it was like having a working mother, they said they knew I had to work, but they knew they were the most important when needed. At times when it didn’t work for me, I did freelance work to get that flexibility. I hope that is not needed now, but we need to watch out for stupid, non-flexible rules and focus on what is important delivering great work for our clients. This leads to great work for our teams.

 

What career advice would you give your younger self?

Accounting provides a very broad base on which to explore the business world. Try things and work out what suits you. I love Forensic Accounting / Dispute work as it is different every time and non-standard. This maybe someone else’s nightmare. If it is not working for you, then look to change it. Work with the best people, you will learn from them, whether it is your seniors, your clients, or your team. Work hard but make sure you are having fun. Believe in yourself.

For those trying to get their first testifying, try to work with very experienced testifiers as they typically have enough dispute experience and will support you rather than compete with you, as they already have sufficient testifying experience.

 

What is the secret to having longevity as an expert witness?

Quality work. It is important to be practical and robust, but to ensure that as an expert you are independent and realistic. Repeat work and referrals are based on your reputation, it is always good to be approached by a law firm you were against previously, as well as those you worked for. It is not just about the technical abilities, but about the ability to communicate clearly and testify effectively and generally be an easy person to work with.

 

Question from last month’s interviewee (Annabelle Fowler, Charles River Associates): What unexpected synergies from your professional or personal life have made you a more effective expert?

I think like many women my professional and personal life are on a continuum, and I like to think that my ability to juggle and communicate are effective across both. Being yourself and trusting yourself in both arenas is important. Equally well important to listen and adapt as needed. It is not so much work/life balance as one life that includes both and they need to co-exist.

 

What would you like to ask the next expert to be featured in the Spotlight Series?

What skill or skills do you have do you think makes