Richard Merino Joins Ankura as Senior Managing Director

20-Year Veteran Deepens and Expands Ankura's Healthcare Disputes, Compliance, Investigation and Advisory Offerings

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Aug 15, 2019, 08:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ankura, a leading business advisory and expert services firm that provides integrated corporate performance and risk management services, including compliance, investigations, forensics, technology, turnaround and restructuring, and strategic management consulting capabilities, today announced the appointment of Richard Merino to Senior Managing Director. Based in Washington, D.C., Mr. Merino has 20 years of experience in operations, regulatory compliance and process improvement within the healthcare industry. In his new role, he provides additional depth and breadth to Ankura's leading healthcare disputes, compliance, investigations and advisory offerings, including expertise in government program compliance, payer/provider strategy and reimbursement, risk advisory services, and merger and acquisition strategy and advisory.

"We are thrilled to welcome Richard to the Ankura community. His extensive knowledge, broad expertise and impressive skillset will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen and expand our healthcare offerings to payors and providers," said Mary Beth Edwards, Senior Managing Director. "With a proven track record of helping clients address their most complex healthcare program challenges, Richard will have an immediate impact on the way we tackle client issues and deliver the innovative solutions clients have come to expect from our teams."

At Ankura, Mr. Merino will help develop and shape the direction of the firm's healthcare offerings to payors. He will advance Ankura's focus on adding post-event operational advisory skills to assist health plan and pharmacy benefit manager clients transform their people, processes and systems after events such as litigations, investigations and government enforcement actions. Mr. Merino also will extend Ankura's market leadership position in the areas of compliance, disputes and investigative services. Ankura brings together experts in Regulatory Compliance, Strategy & Performance, Data Analytics, and M&A Advisory teams with the goal to be on the front end of strategic planning of new market and product entry, M&A strategy and board advisory for healthcare payors and providers.

Prior to joining Ankura, Mr. Merino served as a Managing Director in PricewaterhouseCoopers' risk assurance segment and was responsible for the firm's national healthcare compliance practice. His experience over the past two decades has focused on Medicare and Medicaid plan sponsors, commercial managed care entities, hospital and provider practice organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, and other healthcare related entities.

"Ankura is a standout firm with a strong emphasis on collaboration and commitment to client success, and I am incredibly excited to be joining a firm full of talented and passionate professionals," said Richard Merino. "The healthcare industry faces a slew of complex situations and Ankura's multidisciplinary teams, approach and collaborative culture fuel innovative and tailored solutions in both proactive and reactive payer client situations. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues at Ankura to develop innovative and effective solutions to client challenges."

About Ankura

Ankura is a business advisory and expert services firm defined by HOW we solve challenges. Whether a client is facing an immediate business challenge, trying to increase the value of their company or protect against future risks, Ankura designs, develops, and executes tailored solutions by assembling the right combination of expertise. We build on this experience with every case, client, and situation, collaborating to create innovative, customized solutions, and strategies designed for today's ever-changing business environment. This gives our clients unparalleled insight and experience across a wide range of economic, governance, and regulatory challenges. At Ankura, we know that collaboration drives results. For more information, please visit: www.ankura.com.

SOURCE Ankura