Kroll, an independent global provider of financial and risk advisory services, has announced the appointment of Fred Crawford to the role of executive chairman, with the position taking effect on 18 May 2026.
Crawford joins at a pivotal moment for the firm, taking on responsibility for advancing its commercial culture, talent development and succession planning. He will work in close collaboration with CEO Jacob Silverman, as well as Noah Gottdiener, who steps back from his current executive chairman role to become founding chairman, retaining an active involvement in strategy and operations.
Crawford arrives with an extensive track record in professional services leadership, having held senior roles at Ernst & Young, Capgemini, Computer Sciences Corporation (now operating as DXC Technology) and AlixPartners.
His tenure as AlixPartners CEO, which ran from 2008 to 2015, was characterised by substantial international growth and meaningful returns for shareholders. He subsequently served as senior vice chair at the firm until 2021 and sat on its board until leaving to take up his position at Kroll. He currently holds board seats at Phaidon International and Solomon Partners.
With a history of close to a century, Kroll employs more than 6,500 professionals across the globe, offering advisory services spanning valuation, risk, governance and transactions.
Kroll CEO Jacob Silverman said, “Over the past two decades, Kroll has undergone significant transformation to drive growth and value creation. This has been achieved, in part, by executing and integrating over forty acquisitions and onboarding thousands of new hires, while also deepening client relationships, expanding into new geographies, and playing a significant role in market-shaping trends.
“With this strong foundation in place, we see an opportunity to further accelerate our growth. We are confident Fred is the ideal addition to support building an even stronger Kroll, focused on expansion, maximizing long-term value creation, and further enhancing our partnerships with our clients.”
Kroll incoming executive chairman Fred Crawford said, “When companies face material threats – across areas such as financial and operational risk, cybersecurity, regulatory and compliance matters – and need to make informed decisions, they call Kroll.
“Kroll has built an exceptional global platform as a trusted advisor for the most complex challenges, and I look forward to partnering with Jake, Noah, and the full Board and leadership team to deliver even greater value for clients around the world.”
Kroll founding chairman Noah Gottdiener said, “Fred’s appointment represents the company’s evolution and the opportunities ahead. He is a trusted advisor with a track record of successful client-facing business development, including expanding commercial capabilities and strengthening client relationships, which all of our stakeholders will benefit from. I’m proud of what we’ve built and look forward to continuing to support the company in my role as Founding Chairman
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