Manuela Mackert joins German management team of Ankura

Global consulting firm Ankura has made a high-profile hire in Germany, welcoming Manuela Mackert to its German management team.

Appointed a Senior Managing Director in its Frankfurt office, Manuela Mackert brings more than 25 years of professional experience in compliance and risk management to Ankura.

She joins from Deutsche Telekom, where she most recently served as Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Group Compliance Management.

During her 17-year career at the telecom giant, Mackert gained extensive experience in conceptualising and delivering compliance and risk management programs, across a range of business functions including human resources, finance, corporate development and operations.

“We are proud to welcome Manuela Mackert to the team. Manuela’s extensive experience in the field of compliance, as well as the areas of digitisation and artificial intelligence, will immensely benefit our clients,” said Kevin Lavin, Chief Executive Officer at Ankura.

In discussion with German newspaper Handelsblatt, Mackert said that she had previously not planned becoming a consultant, but that “Ankura’s growth story and strong proposition” convinced her.

Since the opening of its inaugural German office in Frankfurt in June 2021, Ankura has already gained a foothold in the market, in particular in the areas of risk, compliance, forensics, financial crime, construction disputes & advisory, and data & technology.

Mackert will work closely with other recent senior hires including Uwe Heim, Michael Peters, and Markus Domin, seasoned forensics experts who recently joined the Ankura team in Frankfurt.

“Building a fully compliant, vigilant, and ethical organisation requires a holistic approach. This includes a deep understanding of the structures and culture of an organisation and is the basis for implementing an appropriate compliance management system and operating a value-oriented corporate culture and digital ethics, to ensure the legality of corporate actions,” said Mackert.

“I am excited to join a dedicated team of experts that share the same understanding and I look forward to supporting clients on their endeavour to achieve their goals.”

Globally, US-headquartered Ankura has 1,700 consultants and staff. The firm competes with the likes of the Big Four, and audit-free rivals such as Alvarez & Marsal and FTI Consulting.