Leading accountancy firm PwC said it has acquired HLP Consulting Limited, a specialist in construction disputes in the MIddle East region as part of its expansion strategy.

A 24-strong practice with offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar, HLP Consulting caters to the entire GCC market.

The company specialises in the provision of claims preparation and analysis, dispute resolution, expert witness, contract management and commercial management services to the construction industry and energy sector.

They are a Middle East-based consultancy business, active across the whole region including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain and Kuwait as well as other international locations. This acquisition will bolster PwC’s existing capabilities in the region, enabling it to better serve the needs of its clients.

As part of the deal, HLP directors Mike Harding, Simon Lowe, Alastair Gray, Shaun Crawley and their team have joined PwC Middle East.

John Wilkinson, the deals leader at PwC (Middle East) and senior partner (Forensic Services), said: "This combination expands PwC’s Middle East capabilities to provide specialist services, in relation to construction disputes and claims. It also helps build on our significant forensic capabilities in the region."

"With falling oil prices, we are likely to see an increase in construction-related disputes and with this acquisition we seek to better serve and equip our clients," he noted.

Chris Scudamore, PwC (Capital Projects Services) leader for Middle East, said: "An increasing number of our clients are looking to work with firms able to provide services across the whole capital project lifecycle, from strategy to execution."

"The combination of skillsets of the existing PwC Capital Projects team and the HLP team, across all major markets in the Middle East region, will help create a differentiated, end-to-end offering for our clients," he stated.

In his comments, Harding said: "Joining PwC is strategically the right choice. We wanted to tie-up with a firm with an established growth track record and aspirations and values that matched our own. "

"HLP as a business has grown significantly over the past few years and now is the right time to join PwC to access the wider PwC international network and investment that will enable us to develop the business further," he added.-TradeArabia News Service