FTI Consulting Expands Transactions Communications Capabilities with Two Senior Hires

Rhea-AI Summary

FTI Consulting (NYSE: FCN) announced two senior hires to expand its transactions, shareholder activism and issues management capabilities within Strategic Communications. Dan Scorpio joins as Senior Managing Director in Chicago to advise on M&A, shareholder activism defense and financial communications; Heather Wilson joins as Senior Managing Director in Los Angeles to strengthen West Coast transactions and crisis capabilities. The hires broaden geographic coverage and integrate with FTI Consulting’s global expertise across investor relations, public affairs and merger integration.

News Market Reaction

+0.73%

1 alert

+0.73% News Effect

On the day this news was published, FCN gained 0.73%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.

Market Reality Check

Price: $178.17 Vol: Volume 194,798 is below t...

low vol

$178.17 Last Close

Volume Volume 194,798 is below the 20-day average of 298,699 (relative volume 0.65x). low

Technical Price $176.55 is trading above the 200-day MA at $165.05, indicating a pre-existing uptrend.

Peers on Argus

FCN’s pre-news move of 0.31% occurred as several consulting peers like HURN, BAH...

FCN’s pre-news move of 0.31% occurred as several consulting peers like HURN, BAH, ICFI and CRAI showed gains, while DGNX declined 13.24%, and no peers appeared in the momentum scanner, pointing to stock-specific rather than broad sector momentum.

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Jan 08 (Positive)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Jan 08	Senior hire	Positive	+0.0%	Appointment of Joshua Baca as Senior Managing Director in Strategic Communications.
Jan 05	Senior hire	Positive	+5.2%	Appointment of forensic accounting expert Mavis Tan as Senior Managing Director in Asia.
Dec 17	AI expertise addition	Positive	+3.4%	Affiliation of AI expert Xi Chen with Compass Lexecon subsidiary.
Dec 17	AI partnership	Positive	+3.4%	Collaboration with Penguin Ai to integrate its healthcare AI platform into RCM services.
Dec 17	AI partnership correction	Positive	+3.4%	Correction release related to the Penguin Ai collaboration announcement.

Pattern Detected

Recent strategic hires and partnerships have often coincided with modestly positive price reactions, suggesting the market has viewed these capability expansions constructively.

Recent Company History

Over the last few months, FTI Consulting has focused on expanding senior talent and AI-driven capabilities. On Jan 5, 2026, the firm added forensic accounting expert Mavis Tan in Asia, with shares rising 5.16%. The appointment of public affairs expert Joshua Baca on Jan 8, 2026 saw a flat reaction. Multiple AI-related announcements with Penguin Ai and the affiliation of AI expert Xi Chen on Dec 17, 2025 each coincided with 3.41% gains. Today’s senior hires in Strategic Communications fit this pattern of targeted capability expansion.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement details FTI Consulting’s addition of two Senior Managing Directors to strengthen i...

Analysis

This announcement details FTI Consulting’s addition of two Senior Managing Directors to strengthen its M&A, shareholder activism, and crisis communications offering in the Midwest and West Coast. It follows recent senior hires and AI-focused partnerships, underscoring ongoing investment in Strategic Communications and transaction support. Investors may watch how these hires influence deal-related mandates, issues management assignments, and broader revenue trends across corporate reputation, investor relations, and M&A advisory services over coming quarters.

Key Terms

m&a, shareholder activism, ipo, venture capital, +4 more

8 terms

m&a financial

"“Guiding a transaction from announcement through close has never been more challenging..."

M&A, short for mergers and acquisitions, involves one company combining with or purchasing another company to grow, streamline operations, or gain competitive advantages. For investors, M&A activity can signal potential for increased value, new opportunities, or changes in market dynamics, making it an important factor to watch in the business landscape.

shareholder activism financial

"expansion of its transactions, shareholder activism and issues management capabilities..."

Shareholder activism occurs when investors use their ownership stake in a company to influence its decisions and management practices. Like a concerned group of neighbors working together to improve their community, active shareholders may push for changes they believe will increase the company's value or align it with their interests. This process matters to investors because it can lead to better company performance and higher returns.

ipo financial

"as well as Medline on its 2025 IPO, the largest globally since 2021."

An initial public offering (IPO) is the process by which a private company sells its shares to the public for the first time, making its ownership available on the stock market. This allows the company to raise money from a wide range of investors to fund growth or other goals. For investors, an IPO offers a chance to buy into a company early in its public journey, potentially benefiting if the company grows in value.

venture capital financial

"and for venture capital and private equity funds on issues including crisis response..."

Venture capital is money provided by specialized investors to young, high-growth companies in exchange for ownership stakes and often a role in shaping strategy — like planting seeds and helping them grow into trees. It matters to investors because venture funding can rapidly boost a startup’s resources, valuation and chances of success, but it also brings high risk and limited liquidity, affecting future returns and how shares behave at exits such as sales or public offerings.

private equity financial

"for Fortune 500 companies, private equity and family businesses such as T-Mobile..."

Private equity involves investing money directly into private companies or buying out public companies to make them private, with the goal of improving their performance and increasing their value over time. For investors, it offers an opportunity to earn returns by helping companies grow or restructure, often requiring a longer-term commitment and a higher level of involvement than typical stock investments.

investor relations financial

"transaction communications and investor relations, and public affairs."

Investor relations is the communication process between a company and its current or potential investors. It involves sharing information about the company's performance, strategies, and outlook to help investors make informed decisions. Effective investor relations build trust and transparency, similar to a clear conversation between a business and someone considering investing, ensuring both parties understand each other's interests and expectations.

public affairs financial

"transaction communications and investor relations, and public affairs."

Public affairs is the work a company does to manage relationships with governments, regulators, community groups and the wider public, including policy engagement, advocacy and reputation management. It matters to investors because those interactions influence regulatory risk, permits, legal exposure and customer sentiment — like steering through a busy intersection where good navigation avoids costly delays or accidents and protects the value of an investment.

esg strategy financial

"including merger integration, business transformation, media relations, proxy advisory, investor engagement, ESG strategy..."

An ESG strategy is a company’s plan for managing environmental, social and governance issues—such as pollution, labor practices and leadership oversight—so its operations match long-term responsibility and risk goals. Investors treat it like a maintenance schedule or risk checklist: a clear, well-implemented ESG strategy can reduce future costs, avoid legal or reputational shocks and attract customers or capital, while a weak strategy can amplify financial risks and hurt returns.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FTI Consulting, Inc. (NYSE: FCN) today announced the expansion of its transactions, shareholder activism and issues management capabilities with the appointments of Dan Scorpio and Heather Wilson as Senior Managing Directors within the firm’s Strategic Communications segment.

“Guiding a transaction from announcement through close has never been more challenging with complex, intertwined stakeholder risks that pose meaningful threats to successful close and value realization,” said Pat Tucker, Americas Head of M&A and Activism for the Strategic Communications segment at FTI Consulting. “The dedicated, multi-disciplinary M&A team we’ve assembled is unique and enables our clients to understand, anticipate and mitigate risks to capture transaction value. The addition of Heather and Dan, and geographic expansion in the Midwest and West Coast, is an important milestone for our transaction and overall event-driven communications offering that will have an immediate impact for our clients.”

Mr. Scorpio, who is based in Chicago, has more than a decade of experience leading high-profile M&A and reputational engagements for Fortune 500 companies, private equity and family businesses such as T-Mobile, Keurig Dr Pepper, IFF and Pritzker Private Capital, as well as Medline on its 2025 IPO, the largest globally since 2021. In his role, Mr. Scorpio will advise clients on M&A transactions, shareholder activism defense and financial communications issues.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Mr. Scorpio was a Managing Director and Head of the M&A and Activism practice at H/Advisors Abernathy, where he provided strategic communications, stakeholder engagement and reputation management counsel to executive leadership teams and boards of directors. He has presented at the Garrett Institute and Corporate Counsel Institute and at industry forums hosted by National Investor Relations Institute, National Association of Corporate Directors and the Society for Corporate Governance.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Scorpio said, “I am thrilled to join FTI Consulting and its rapidly growing M&A and Activism team. FTI Consulting’s differentiated offering is resonating in today’s dynamic marketplace, as clients are demanding experienced counsel, data-driven insights and highly tailored strategic execution through the moments that matter most. As the M&A market gains momentum in an increasingly complex global geopolitical environment, it’s clear to me that the integrated resources of FTI Consulting are best suited to solve companies’ most pressing challenges and partner with clients to achieve their business goals.”

Ms. Wilson, who is based in Los Angeles, has deep expertise in transactions, crisis and issues management. She has worked across a range of industries, including for organizations such as IBM, HP, AbbVie, Mattel, the state of California and Goop, and for venture capital and private equity funds on issues including crisis response, high-profile litigation, transaction communications and investor relations, and public affairs. She is a frequent public speaker on crisis management and special situations.

At FTI Consulting, Ms. Wilson will advise clients around transactions and crisis situations and bolster the firm’s presence on the West Coast. Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Ms. Wilson was the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at AccentCare, a national provider of home health services, where she led all communications, crisis and issues management, digital and brand marketing. Earlier in her career, she was a journalist at CBS Marketwatch, Fox News and CNBC.

Commenting on her appointment, Ms. Wilson said, “FTI Consulting has a world-class strategic communications team with deep and broad expertise to handle our clients’ unique needs through any crisis or deal lifecycle. I’m excited to join this integrated team and expand our footprint in the Golden State.”

FTI Consulting’s integrated transaction communications offering supports clients in realizing deal success by delivering investor support and approval, mitigating political risk for regulatory clearance and setting clients up for integration success. The team taps into the firm’s global expertise across corporate reputation, investor relations, public affairs, people and transformation and digital strategy. This work is complemented by FTI Consulting’s broader M&A and Activism services, including merger integration, business transformation, media relations, proxy advisory, investor engagement, ESG strategy and strategic advisory work for chief financial officers.

About FTI Consulting 
FTI Consulting, Inc. is a leading global expert firm for organizations facing crisis and transformation, with more than 8,100 employees located in 32 countries and territories as of September 30, 2025. In certain jurisdictions, FTI Consulting’s services are provided through distinct legal entities that are separately capitalized and independently managed. The Company generated $3.70 billion in revenues during fiscal year 2024. More information can be found at www.fticonsulting.com. 

FTI Consulting, Inc.  
555 12^th Street NW  
Washington, DC 20004  
+1.202.312.9100 

Investor Contact:  
Mollie Hawkes 
+1.617.747.1791 
mollie.hawkes@fticonsulting.com 

Media Contact:  
Sam Ford 
+1.617.480.7402
samantha.ford@fticonsulting.com

FAQ

Who did FTI Consulting (FCN) hire for its transactions and activism team on January 12, 2026?

FTI Consulting hired Dan Scorpio (based in Chicago) and Heather Wilson (based in Los Angeles) as Senior Managing Directors.

What roles will Dan Scorpio and Heather Wilson perform at FTI Consulting (FCN)?

Both will advise clients on transactions and crisis-related communications; Scorpio will focus on M&A, shareholder activism defense and financial communications, Wilson on transactions and crisis issues, especially on the West Coast.

How does the January 12, 2026 hiring news affect FTI Consulting’s (FCN) geographic footprint?

The appointments expand FTI Consulting’s transaction and event-driven communications presence in the Midwest (Chicago) and West Coast (Los Angeles).

Which types of client work will FTI Consulting (FCN) integrate with its expanded transactions team?

The team will tap into investor relations, public affairs, corporate reputation, merger integration, proxy advisory, investor engagement, ESG strategy and related strategic advisory services.

Does the press release cite prior transaction experience for Dan Scorpio relevant to FCN’s services?

Yes; it notes Scorpio led high-profile M&A and reputational engagements for Fortune 500 companies and advised on Medline’s 2025 IPO.

What immediate capability improvements does FTI Consulting (FCN) claim from these hires?

The company said the hires provide immediate enhancement to its multi-disciplinary M&A, shareholder activism and event-driven communications offering.