Our People

Hossam
Heikal

Senior Director

Europe, Middle East & Africa | Dubai office

+971 (4) 572 0437

hheikal@nardelloandco.com

Headshot of Hossam

Senior Director Hossam Heikal of Nardello & Co.’s Dubai office has almost a decade of investigative experience focused on the Middle East and North Africa.

Hossam specializes in undertaking complex investigations, pre-transaction due diligence, market entry risk assessments, and strategic intelligence-gathering engagements. He regularly assists clients – including corporations, private equity firms, financial institutions, utilities companies, and sovereign wealth funds – in identifying and managing potential risks associated with their operations and transactions in the region. He has led investigations into internal control breaches, third party contracts, non-performing loans, and trade finance fraud.

Prior to joining Nardello & Co., Hossam spent eight years working in the business intelligence and investigations practice of a US risk advisory firm.  A native Arabic and English speaker with working proficiency in French, Hossam holds a B.A. in Political Science from New York University.

Representative matters

  • Led country risk assessments of the six GCC countries on behalf of a European private bank seeking to grow its client book in the region. Hossam analysed macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions, the role of state-owned institutions, the interplay between regulatory bodies, the profiles and make-up of both royal and private capital pools, the competitive landscape, and potential market entry risks.
  • Managed an internal investigation at a listed Gulf Cooperation Council bank into suspected collusion between a former member of senior management and a loan customer with approximately $400 million in outstanding debt obligations. After tracing funds across multiple bank accounts, Hossam compiled a comprehensive report used to support an insurance claim, criminal proceedings, and regulatory disclosures.
  • After a CEO’s embezzlement scheme was uncovered, led an asset tracing exercise that identified more than $80 million in assets worldwide. Hossam led eight research analysts in a review of correspondence, corporate filings, financial records, and open source information to identify indications of potential dissipation and develop leads to assets.
  • Led the internal investigations team of a regional utilities company, where he defined investigative processes, trained employees on analytical methodologies, and presented policy change recommendations to the board of directors.

Languages spoken

  • English (Fluent)
  • Arabic (Fluent)
  • French (Full working proficiency)

Education

  • BA, Political Science, New York University