Compass Lexecon Continues to Expand Competition Expertise With Appointment of Stéphane Dewulf as Head of Brussels

FTI Consulting appoints Stéphane Dewulf to lead Compass Lexecon’s Brussels office.

What the company is saying

FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE:FCN) is announcing the appointment of Stéphane Dewulf as Executive Vice President and Head of the Brussels Office for Compass Lexecon, its economic consulting subsidiary. The company emphasizes Dewulf’s expertise in merger control and antitrust investigations, highlighting his recent advisory roles in Mars’ $35.9 billion acquisition of Kellanova and Nokia’s $2.3 billion acquisition of Infinera, both cleared by the European Commission. Dewulf will lead a team of over 20 economists in Brussels, working with Deputy Head Roman Fischer. The release frames Dewulf’s return as a homecoming, underscoring his prior experience at Compass Lexecon’s predecessor LECG and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Competition. The announcement also lists a roster of senior antitrust experts in the Brussels office and notes Dewulf’s 2026 nomination for Economist of the Year by Global Competition Review. The tone is confident, positioning the hire as a strengthening of Compass Lexecon’s global competition practice.

What the data suggests

The appointment is supported by concrete scale metrics: Compass Lexecon employs more than 600 professionals across 23 offices, and FTI Consulting, its parent, had over 8,100 employees in 32 countries and territories as of June 30, 2026. FTI Consulting reported $3.8 billion in revenues for fiscal year 2025. Dewulf’s track record includes advising on two major transactions—Mars’ $35.9 billion acquisition of Kellanova and Nokia’s $2.3 billion acquisition of Infinera—demonstrating experience in high-value, complex, multi-jurisdictional matters. The Brussels office team Dewulf will lead comprises over 20 economists, indicating a substantial local presence. The announcement does not disclose any immediate financial impact or operational targets linked to Dewulf’s appointment. All quantitative disclosures relate to organizational scale and Dewulf’s past deal experience, not to forward-looking financial performance.

Analysis

This announcement is a routine leadership appointment, providing factual details about Stéphane Dewulf's background, recent deal experience, and the scale of Compass Lexecon and FTI Consulting. The tone is positive but proportionate, with the only forward-looking statement being Dewulf's personal enthusiasm for future collaboration. No operational, financial, or strategic outcomes are projected, and there are no claims of immediate business impact or financial benefit from the appointment. The numerical data disclosed (revenue, employee count, office count) is factual and not used to exaggerate the significance of the appointment. There is no evidence of narrative inflation or overstatement; the language is consistent with standard personnel announcements. No large capital outlay or long-dated benefit is discussed.

Risk flags

• ●Key-person dependency is a risk, as the announcement centers on Dewulf’s individual track record and leadership; if he were to depart unexpectedly or underperform, the anticipated strengthening of the Brussels office could be undermined.
• ●There is execution risk in translating Dewulf’s past experience and reputation into new business for Compass Lexecon, as high-profile deal experience does not guarantee future client mandates or revenue growth.
• ●No explicit financial or operational targets are tied to the appointment, so investors have limited visibility into how Dewulf’s leadership will be measured or what outcomes are expected in the near term.

Bottom line

FTI Consulting’s appointment of Stéphane Dewulf as head of Compass Lexecon’s Brussels office signals a commitment to senior talent and deep sector expertise in European competition economics. Dewulf’s background advising on multi-billion-dollar transactions and his nomination for Economist of the Year add credibility, but the announcement does not tie his arrival to any specific financial or operational targets. The scale of Compass Lexecon and FTI Consulting is clear, with more than 600 professionals in 23 offices and $3.8 billion in 2025 revenue, but there is no immediate catalyst or quantifiable benefit for investors. The practical implication is that the Brussels office may be better positioned to win complex mandates, but the financial impact will only become visible over time. Investors should watch for future disclosures on major client wins or case outcomes under Dewulf’s leadership. The most important takeaway is that this is a strategic personnel move, not an event with direct near-term earnings impact.

Announcement summary

(NYSE:FCN) FTI Consulting, Inc. announced the appointment of Stéphane Dewulf as Executive Vice President and Head of the Brussels Office for Compass Lexecon, its economic consulting subsidiary. Stéphane Dewulf will lead a team of over 20 economists based in Brussels, working alongside Deputy Head of Office Roman Fischer. Dewulf's experience includes representing clients before the European Commission, the CMA, the French Competition Authority, and other competition authorities across Europe and beyond. He recently advised on Mars’ $35.9 billion acquisition of Kellanova during an in-depth Phase II investigation and Nokia’s $2.3 billion acquisition of Infinera, both of which received unconditional clearance by the European Commission. Dewulf joins Compass Lexecon from Oxera, where he co-led the Brussels practice, and previously spent six years at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition. Earlier in his career, he spent eight years as an economist at two leading competition economics consultancies, including Compass Lexecon predecessor LECG. Jorge Padilla, Chair of Compass Lexecon's International Board, stated that Dewulf's collaborative, rigorous, and practical approach aligns with the firm's values and strengthens the Brussels practice. Dewulf expressed excitement about returning to Compass Lexecon’s Brussels office, where he began his career 20 years ago, and looks forward to leading the team in collaboration with Roman Fischer. In 2026, Dewulf was nominated for Economist of the Year by Global Competition Review. The Brussels office includes a group of antitrust experts such as Senior Managing Directors Lorenzo Coppi, Neil Dryden, and Jorge Padilla; Executive Vice Presidents Justin Coombs, Thilo Klein, Nicola Mazzarotto, Alejandro Requejo, Fabien Roques, Pekka Sääskilahti, David Sevy, Vanessa Zhang, and Elena Zoido; and Senior Vice Presidents Michele Avagliano, Thomas Bowman, Martina Caldana, Roman Fischer, Jeremiah Juts, Ciara Kalmus, Patricia Lorenzo, Christopher Milde, Cecilia Nardini, Lau Nilausen, Soledad Pereiras, Kadambari Prasad, Bernardo Sarmento, Segye Shin, Stefano Trento, Zita Vasas, Lotta Väänänen, Antoine Victoria, and Caitlin Wilkinson. Compass Lexecon has more than 600 professionals in 23 offices worldwide and has been ranked as one of the leading antitrust economics firms in the world by Global Competition Review for the past 19 years. FTI Consulting, Inc. had more than 8,100 employees in 32 countries and territories as of June 30, 2026. FTI Consulting generated $3.8 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2025.

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