Pinsent Masons hires former Serious Fraud Office Chief Operation Officer

Joining the firm as a consultant, John is supporting clients as they navigate complex bribery and corruption laws and issues working alongside Pinsent Masons’ regulatory and investigations team.

Head of Regulatory & Investigations at Pinsent Masons, Tom Stocker, said: “John’s reputation as a skilled investigator, specialising in corporate crime will be a significant asset to our team the wider firm and, most importantly, to our clients. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and practical understanding of law enforcement appetite, approach and expectations relevant to companies and business people.”

Throughout his 40-year career John has held several senior positions at the SFO including head of strategy and policy and most recently COO. Prior to joining the SFO he was the Deputy Head of Intelligence Assessment at HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).

John will work closely with contentious tax and corporate investigations partner Andrew Sackey who joined Pinsent Masons in 2019 from HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Services, where he led the 500 staff comprising the Offshore Corporate and Wealthy enforcement division. 

Pinsent Masons says this unique pairing provides the firm’s clients with valuable practical insights into the operation and application of the failure to prevent bribery and failure to prevent the facilitation of tax evasion enforcement regimes.

Commenting on his move, John Carroll, said: “As the risks posed by bribery and corruption increase for consumers and businesses alike, the need for robust regulation is paramount. Businesses must understand the detail which underpins these regulations to ensure they don’t inadvertently flout the law. I’m looking forward to supporting Pinsent Masons as it advances its support for clients in this critical area of law.”