FRA Paris Director Featured in 2023 France - Investigations Forensic Experts, Who's Who Legal

FRA Paris Director Arnaud Collombet has been recognized for the first time in 2023 France - Investigations Forensic Experts, Who's Who Legal. Who's Who Legal identifies the foremost legal practitioners in multiple areas of business law.

WWL says: “Arnaud Collombet garners plaudits for his "ability to manage others toward common objectives" as well as his "fact-based and timely delivery".

Arnaud is an external and internal audit, compliance, fraud and corporate investigations expert. After spending more than 15 years in industry across various positions in internal audit, anti-fraud and internal investigations, Arnaud joined FRA in 2019. Since joining the firm, Arnaud has worked on many of FRA’s international investigations and was part of the team supporting the independent monitor for the three-year DOJ monitorship of IAV GmbH. The project required Arnaud and team to assess the company's development and implementation of their compliance program. Besides this, Arnaud has been an active team member of the firm’s international investigations work.

In recognition of Arnaud’s first WWL listing, Arnaud reflects on his career to date including what he enjoys most about being a consulting expert and where he sees the future for forensic accountants.

1. What made you become a consulting expert?

Nothing very unusual, only life’s coincidences! After having spent most of my career in-house I wanted a new adventure in consulting. Delivering any expertise for in-house stakeholders inside an organization or for a variety of external clients is actually very similar, and I firmly believe that my previous experiences to be a great asset to help me understand and anticipate  clients’ needs in a very corporate-oriented, pragmatic and effective manner.

2. What is it about being a consulting expert that you enjoy most?

Definitely being able to see new types of projects. Beyond internal investigations, I have had the chance to discover new high-profile assignments (monitorships, gain calculations, etc.), and to interact with law firms and authorities from various jurisdictions. This diversity is definitely extremely enjoyable.

3. What is the most challenging part of your job, and why?

Given the diversity of engagements, it is crucial to continuously learn, and to stay up-to-date on all these topics. This learning element is very exciting though.

4. What are you most proud of about working at FRA?

The quality and the variety of expertise at FRA is probably the most impressive part of the company. Having the chance to work with so many talented colleagues is really enjoyable. Most of the projects are real team efforts that require sophisticated coordination and collaboration, at all levels, and I really appreciate that culture.

5. What advice would you give someone starting their career in consulting?

Be curious! There are plenty of opportunities to discover, to learn, and eventually to grow.

6. Forensic accountancy is the core business of FRA. Where do you see the future for forensic accountants?

Most investigations involve a financial element (corruption, asset misappropriation, etc.) and forensic accountants, along with data analysts, are key in analysing data, reconstructing the sequence of events and determining amounts involved. Their role is crucial in helping counsels to qualify and quantify these facts and I believe such collaboration forensic accountant / counsel will continue to develop in the coming years.

7. What steps can companies take to ensure they are agile in the face of complex compliance requirements?

In a complex and rapidly evolving environment, companies should of course actively monitor regulatory updates, which would influence their risk assessments and mitigations. Beyond staying informed, companies should ensure, through regular testing, that they have a robust compliance program which adequately addresses their regulatory risks in a holistic, effective and sustainable manner. Compliance is before all a mindset and it is important that organisations develop a culture that fosters compliance and considers compliance a value preservation function, rather than just a burden.

8. What impact are you seeing technological advancement having on cross-border investigations?

One of the most visible technological advancements is the progress of AI and machine learning, that allowed the development of new tools to detect and analyse more rapidly financial crime. In addition, we see the development of new techniques allowing secure sharing of critical and sensitive information while respecting all regulatory requirements. But again, this field is evolving so rapidly that it is key to stay informed and up-to-date!

Contact

Arnaud Collombet, FRA Director

Email: acollombet@forensicrisk.com

Find out more about all of FRA’s experts