Astraea

Investigations, Dispute Resolution and International Enforcement

- Partner -

Piers is the head of Astraea’s intelligence & forensic investigations team, and leads multidisciplinary engagements on behalf of clients who are navigating complex special situations.

Piers is a Solicitor (20 years PQE), a CEDR Accredited commercial Mediator, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and Forensic Investigator.

With a background in commercial litigation, Piers has 20 years of experience helping clients to manage risk, resolve disputes and investigate and respond to allegations or instances of financial wrongdoing and non-financial misconduct.

In this time, Piers has lived and worked in the Middle East, and has conducted cross border engagements spanning Europe, the Middle East and North & Sub-Saharan Africa. He has particular experience investigating economic crime and advising regulated businesses on their legal and regulatory obligations, having been global head of financial crime Investigations at Barclays Bank Plc.

Piers has led investigations into organised crime networks, high-end money laundering and fraud, in relation to drugs and human trafficking, ‘shadow-banking’ schemes, trade-based money laundering, cash-funnelling, investment and accounting fraud, cross-border corruption, tax evasion and sanction circumvention.

Piers is a former investigator and adjudicator for one of the UK’s main political parties, where he undertook investigations relating to complaints against party members in a voluntary capacity.

2023 – Present: Partner, Astraea

2020 – Present: Investigator & Adjudicator, Liberal Democrats Complaints Procedure

2019 – 2022: Managing Director, FTI Consulting

2018 – 2019: Global Head of Investigations: Financial Crime Compliance, Barclays

2016 – 2018: Vice President: Financial Crime Investigation, Barclays

2011 – 2016: Senior Manager: Forensic Investigation, PWC

2008 – 2011: Senior Manager: Forensic Services, KPMG

English

Law Society of England and Wales, Member

Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, Member

Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, Member

1996 – 1999 University of the Arts London (BA Hons)

2000 – 2002 The University of Law (PgDL) & Post Graduate Diploma in Legal practice, Law

2023 – University of Cambridge (Climate Change for decision-makers: Challenges, Transformations and Strategies)

2023 – The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Negotiation