Profile

Gervase is a member of BDO LLP's Leadership Team where he is the head of regulatory. He is also the head of forensic services at BDO LLP. Gervase is one of the most experienced accounting expert witnesses in the UK and has extensive experience of international arbitrations. He has worked on cases in London (LCIA and ICC), Stockholm (SCC), Geneva (ICC), Paris (ICC, ICSID), Zurich (ICC, ad hoc Cantonal) and Rotterdam (NAI). He has also worked on cases before the Court of First Instance of the European Communities, the High Court in London, the Copyright Tribunal and the Restrictive Practices Court. He has acted as expert witness in hundreds of legal actions and has given oral evidence 48 times.

He has recently completed sitting as an arbitrator in an SCC arbitration and has acted on many occasions as the independent expert in expert determinations.

He is the author of various books, including Expert Accounting Evidence, Solicitors Accounts and Surveyors, Architects and Estate Agents. He has also written numerous articles for Accountancy and other technical publications.

His main areas of expertise are in the field of natural resources, particularly oil and gas claims; state/operator disputes; in takeover disputes; acting on regulatory matters; and in valuing companies and damages.

Prior to joining BDO he worked as a petroleum geologist in the North Sea, Australia and West Africa.

He has investigated and reported on the affairs of the MG Rover Group and Phoenix Venture Holdings on behalf of the Secretary of State and DTI.

His experience includes acting as an accountant instructed by the UNCC to advise panels on determination of claims against Iraq arising from the Gulf War 1990-1991; acting as an expert for the MCPS-PRS Alliance in the Copyright Tribunal relating to online music; acting in relation to loss of profits (amongst other issues) arising from the takeover of ERF by MAN (2001-2007, instructed on behalf of MAN); acting as an expert witness on behalf of the Director General of Fair Trading in respect of the removal of resale price maintenance on OTC medicines; acting for the UK energy regulator on the accounting disclosures by the large six energy companies; and monitoring trustee for competition regulators.

He is placed first in Who's Who Legal's Most Highly Regarded Experts 2016 in the category Forensics and Litigation Consulting - Accountants

He also appears in Who's Who Legal's guides to the "foremost forensic accountants" in investigations and asset recovery and the leading expert witnesses in international arbitration. According to WWL he is held in high esteem by peers and clients alike for his fantastic forensic accounting abilities and vast trove of experience".

He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Liverpool and a Masters from HEC in Paris.