james daniell

James Daniell is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Disputes and Investigations practice in Dubai. He heads the Middle East practice, leading a team of forensic accounting, forensic technology, regulatory and investigations experts.
Mr. Daniell brings 20 years of experience in financial and regulatory investigations, financial crime risk management and disputes. He has advised government, regulatory, private sector, financial services, and law firm clients across a range of industries. For the last 13 years he has focused on the Middle East and Central Asia, advising clients in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.

Mr. Daniell has collaborated with regulators, prosecutors, government authorities, international donors and law firms while advising on high-profile investigations and asset recovery efforts across the region. He acted on a technical committee advising the Bahrain public prosecutor on the investigation of alleged high-level corruption and of two collapsed banks involved in a multi-billion-dollar money laundering scheme. Mr. Daniell advised the Central Bank and Finance Ministry in Afghanistan in its investigation of the Kabul Bank collapse and the recovery of stolen assets following the bank’s $1 billion bailout.

Mr. Daniell is currently advising one of the Abraaj funds on the development and defence of claims brought following the collapse and liquidation of the Middle East’s leading private equity fund group. He is a registered expert in the criminal courts of a UAE emirate and has conducted numerous criminal investigations into embezzlement of public funds. Mr Daniell has advised numerous financial sector and corporate clients across the Middle East in responding to regulatory actions and developing fraud, AML/CFT, Sanctions and compliance risk management frameworks that align with regulatory and best practice standards.

Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Daniell spent nine years with Kroll in London and Dubai, serving most recently as Associate Managing Director and head of the Middle East financial investigations team. He began his career as a financial analyst with a private-client investment management firm in London.

Mr. Daniell earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and Spanish from the University of Leeds. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS).