On the first anniversary of SVA becoming fully operational, the company expands its service offering and retains Michael di Pretoro as Senior Advisor, USA.

2 November, 2012, SVA CEO Steve Vickers announced that SVA will add Political Risk Consulting Services as a core practice area to complement existing service lines:

• Business Risk and Intelligence Group
• Corporate and Financial Investigation Group
• Security, Special Risk and Response Group

“I am delighted that Michael di Pretoro has joined our advisory board as Senior Advisor, USA. Michael is based in San Francisco and specializes in conducting complex assignments involving political risk, fraud, corruption, business intelligence and other risk consulting services.

We are honoured by the experience and professional standing which Michael brings with him. I have known him since 1986 and it is a great pleasure to be working together again." said Mr. Vickers.

Michael previously spent 30 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) where he retired as the Deputy Assistant Director in charge of international operations, including the Bureau’s Legal Attaché program and FBI personnel assigned to U.S. Embassies worldwide. Prior to this assignment, he served over 10 years abroad, and his postings included being the Bureau’s first Legal Attaché in Moscow, Russia, the senior representative in Hong Kong (with regional responsibility to include the PRC and India) and in Manila, Philippines. He has extensive international investigative experience, particularly in the areas of organized crime and corruption, white collar crime and international terrorism investigations. As part of these duties, he managed FCPA related investigations in the Philippines and Russia. Michael speaks fluent Russian.

Political Risk Services in Demand

Over the past 12 months, SVA has executed complicated Political Risk and Business Intelligence assignments in Burma (Myanmar), Mongolia, Macau and Central Asia. The considerable political uncertainty in many of these locations has led private equity funds, financial institutions, multinational corporations and others to seek SVA’s assistance in evaluating the future political and investment climate and in identifying and mitigating risk. This trend has continued strongly and has led us to establish a fully fledged Political Risk Practice.

SVA’s business is focused on the following three key areas:

Business Risk & Intelligence

The Business Risk & Intelligence Group (“BRI”) of SVA supports financial institutions, private equity funds, hedge funds, investment banks and others in conducting, Political Risk Assessments, Investigative Due Diligence, Pre-transactional Investigations, IPO Due Diligence and Employee Integrity and Screening.

The principals of SVA were amongst the first to provide such services across Asia and have long and in-depth experience all around Asia and beyond.

Corporate & Financial Investigations

The Corporate & Financial Investigative Group (“CFI”) of SVA conducts internal Corporate Investigations, Fraud Investigations, Financial Investigations, Asset Searches and Litigation Support on behalf of corporations, financial institutions, law firms and governments.

Security, Special Risk & Response

The principals of the Security, Special Risk & Response Group (“SSR”) of SVA have a unparalleled track record in the discreet and effective handling of Corporate Security and Response services. Services include Kidnap and Ransom Consulting, Response and Recovery services, Crisis Containment, Training and Contingency Planning, Maritime Special Risk and Piracy, Corporate Security services and Surveys and Related Technical Support services.