paul gilbert

Paul Gilbert is a Managing Director and Co-Head of Alvarez & Marsal in the Middle East. He also leads the Turnaround and Restructuring practice in the region. He brings more than 25 years of experience in turnaround, restructuring and interim management. He has advised on restructurings across a wide range of industries and jurisdictions.
Currently, Mr. Gilbert is working on the complex restructuring of NMC Health and leading the finance workstream. Previously, he led a team advising on the restructuring of South African Airways which had been placed into formal business rescue proceedings, and presented alternative restructuring scenarios to the practitioners, government and lenders.

Prior to that, Mr. Gilbert worked with a large European heavy industry group on turnaround and restructuring options and advised a large international investment group that had liquidity difficulties due to underperformance and shelved sale/IPO processes of portfolio businesses in Europe, Africa and Australia.

Previously, Mr. Gilbert advised Edcon Limited—South Africa’s largest non-food retailer with over 1,500 stores across eight countries. As deputy Chief Restructuring Officer (CRO), he served as a non-executive director during the complex financial restructuring of its €1.6 billion in debt. He also supported the restructuring of Essar Steel India, a large steel plant undergoing restructuring under the new Indian Corporate Resolution Process.

Previous assignments include advising on the restructuring of a large Central Europe FMCG group comprising market leading brands in dairy products, mineral water and confectionery; serving as Operations Director, driving EBITDA improvement and restructuring initiatives, for CHC Helicopter Australia; advising the regulator in relation to a UK airline; leading and stabilising the Africa team of a multinational publishing company during investigation of improper payments; driving post-acquisition financial and operational improvements for a private equity-owned U.S./Central European oil and gas business; and serving as interim Group CFO and effectively as deputy CEO/COO of Red Bee Media, restructuring the finance function and EBITDA improvement initiatives, including contract profitability, cost reduction and improved sales focus.

Mr. Gilbert earned a bachelor’s degree in operational research and management (with honours) from the University of Hull. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.