The 2018 Top 25 Consultants: Neal Hochberg

Hochberg is a Senior Managing Director and Vice Chairman of the FTI Consulting Forensic & Litigation Consulting segment. Based in New York, he has more than 40 years of professional experience. For the last 28 years, he has focused exclusively on accounting and forensic investigations, complex economic and financial matters in disputes and matters involving financial reporting, internal investigations, securities derivative, FCPA and Rule 10b-5 fraud claims. 

He also has extensive expert witness testimony experience, has served as an arbitrator, mediator and in court appointed roles as independent panel and special master. Hochberg's forensic and financial investigation engagements include examinations into acquisition accounting, accounting irregularities and financial misreporting, revenue recognition, purchasing and inventory diverting schemes, fraud and embezzlement, vendor "kick-back" schemes, banking and securities industry issues, and compliance issues for major multinational companies. 

"Every assignment has a unique set of challenges and potential solutions—working with really smart professionals, who bring it every day together with our client teams to deliver the right solution," he says. 

Currently, he is serving as the project delegate to the World Economic Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative and recently completed an engagement as a Compliance consultant in a multi-year deferred prosecution agreement.  

Ask him about some of the secrets to his success and he'll say being able to understand the changing landscape of client expectations, as well as "what motivates our professionals and how technology has impacted and shaped our solutions," he says. "In short, reinventing myself and our solutions to an evolving and changing environment and always treating our people with respect."

It's no surprise then that creating an environment where the firm focuses on its people and their development, and then building a collaborative and collegial culture that leads to a strong, sustainable business, is what he's proudest of over the course of his career. "I believe that great people who are motivated provide fabulous client service, which leads to new opportunities, which motivates great people. I like to think of it as a circle of success."

And that circle, for Hochberg, at least, ends with Hochberg being named one of the Top 25 Consultants. "This is a tremendous honor not just for me but for all my colleagues in our segment and the firm," he says. "It is a recognition of our great people and our clients who have confidence in our ability and commitment to solving their challenges."

Q&A: What motivates you to excel? 

Hochberg: "I am a pretty self-motivated individual, but I really enjoy the team building and people aspect of consulting. We all have similar tools, but brainstorming and problem solving with smart people who have passion is the ultimate motivator."