Academic Innovator Stefano Falconi to Lead Berkeley Research Group's Higher Education Practice; Ramin Sedehi Appointed COO at American University of Beirut

EMERYVILLE, CA--(Marketwired - February 02, 2016) - Global strategic advisory and expert consulting firm Berkeley Research Group announced today that it has tapped veteran academic executive Stefano Falconi to lead its Higher Education practice. Falconi is an innovator in academic administration and an expert in strategic financial planning for universities. He assumes the leadership position from Ramin Sedehi, who has been appointed chief operating officer at the American University of Beirut.

"Higher education is a complex and multifaceted organizational environment, and BRG is uniquely positioned to bring an interdisciplinary approach to our academic clients' most vexing challenges," said Executive Director and Chief Revenue Officer Philip Rowley. "We look forward to the deep expertise Stefano brings, and we are also extremely grateful for Ramin's leadership during this era of rapid, often turbulent transformational change in higher education."

Drawing on a distinguished career dedicated to developing creative ways to help academic institutions move forward in finance, administration and technology, Falconi will lead a multidisciplinary team advising higher education clients on strategy and implementation. The team will also leverage the firm's expertise in areas including construction, predictive analytics and big data analysis, cybersecurity, labor and employment, forensic accounting, restructuring, and litigation support and expert witness consulting.

"More than ever, a nation's competitive advantage and individuals' access to rewarding jobs depend on access to high-quality post-secondary education. Yet colleges and universities also increasingly face significant challenges related to the high cost of education and rapid changes in how younger generations learn," said Falconi. He has three decades of experience at major research universities including Harvard, MIT and Carnegie Mellon, as well as distinguished smaller institutions such as Stevens Institute of Technology and Simmons College. "Thanks to its emphasis on interdisciplinary work by a community of experts, BRG is uniquely positioned to support and add value to the higher education community."

Sedehi, as a key member of the American University of Beirut's senior leadership team, will contribute to AUB's strategy and vision while having direct responsibility for the overall operational health and business affairs of the university. He will continue his relationship with BRG as a senior advisor. "I am excited and honored to have the opportunity to serve in a leadership role at an institution capable of making a difference in a critical part of the world," said Sedehi. "As AUB celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, its success is ever more essential to advancing the cause of higher education throughout the region. The economic multiplier effect is quite significant."

About Berkeley Research Group, LLC

Berkeley Research Group, LLC (www.thinkbrg.com) is a leading global strategic advisory and expert consulting firm that provides independent advice, data analytics, authoritative studies, expert testimony, investigations, transaction advisory, restructuring services, and regulatory and dispute consulting to Fortune 500 corporations, financial institutions, major law firms and regulatory bodies around the world. BRG experts and consultants combine intellectual rigor with practical, real-world experience and an in-depth understanding of industries and markets. Their expertise spans economics and finance, data analytics and statistics, and public policy in many of the major sectors of our economy, including healthcare, banking, information technology, energy, construction and real estate. BRG is headquartered in Emeryville, California, with offices across the United States and in Asia, Australia, Canada, Latin America and the United Kingdom.