-
About NERA
Since 1961, NERA has provided unparalleled guidance on the most important market, legal, and regulatory questions of the day. Our work has shaped industries and policy around the world. Our field-leading experts and deep experience allows us to provide rigorous analysis, reliable expert testimony, and data-powered policy recommendations for the world’s leading law firms and corporations as well as regulators and governments. Our experience, integrity, and economic ingenuity mean you can depend on us in the face of your biggest economic and financial challenges.
15 February 2022/New York, NY—NERA Economic Consulting, a leading global provider of economic advice and analysis in business, legal, and regulatory matters, is pleased to announce that George Anstey, Benjamin Chee, Richard Druce, Bradley A. Heys, and Grant Saggers have been promoted to Managing Director. In addition, the following experts have been promoted to Director: Dr. Xiaoling (Ling Ling) Ang, Vakhtang Kvekvetsia, and Robert Patton.
Managing Director
Mr. Anstey specializes in the economics of utility markets and regulation, helping his clients in market design, price controls, litigation, and due diligence. His recent work has covered the design of electricity markets to accommodate decarbonization goals and cost-benefit analyses for flagship market reforms. He is also active in supporting energy companies through regulatory and commercial disputes and arbitration. In addition to his work in energy, Mr. Anstey works across other regulated industries, including the water industry, communications, and the gambling sector.
Mr. Chee advises clients on market design in the electricity sector and has specific expertise in introducing competitive mechanisms in the context of the embedded market structure to the benefit of ratepayers. He has a long history working with utilities, regulatory commissions, governments, and multi-lateral banks in managing auctions and competitive bid processes for spectrum licenses, water resources, electricity, demand response, and renewable energy, including community renewables and utility-scale solar, wind, and storage projects. He is a climate and sustainability expert and has consulted extensively on commercial arrangements, procurement options, and contracting mechanisms in the renewable sector. He has also worked on international assignments related to energy transition, coal retirements, and climate change mitigation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr. Druce is an expert in the energy and water sectors. He supports regulated utility and infrastructure companies, their legal advisors and investors, and sector regulators on the design and implementation of competitive markets and the regulation of natural monopolies. Mr. Druce supports utilities and other infrastructure companies during price control reviews, during which he works on incentive design, cost-benefit analysis, valuation and willingness-to-pay studies, cost assessment and benchmarking, and regulatory finance issues. Mr. Druce also works on a range of market design and network charging issues in the electricity, gas, and water sectors, including transmission and distribution tariff design and charging issues, electricity market modelling, and economic challenges associated with renewable energy, distributed energy resources, and “smart grid” deployment.
Mr. Heys is a Toronto-based testifying expert economist and business valuator. He provides expertise for commercial disputes, class actions, disputes in bankruptcy, regulatory proceedings, and arbitration. Mr. Heys’ expertise is in the quantification of damages; the valuation of businesses, securities, and intellectual property; and financial investigations, finance, and economics. His experience spans a wide range of industries, including minerals and mining, oil and gas, financial services, manufacturing, technology, telecommunications, pharmaceuticals, real estate, and food and beverage. He has been recognized by Who’s Who Legal as a leading economic expert in Canada.
Mr. Saggers, Head of NERA’s office of 80 professionals in London, is a leading competition economist working as an expert in a range of sectors and contentious matters. Who’s Who Legal has recognized Mr. Saggers in its global list of leading competition economists for more than six years and as a “Thought Leader in Competition” in 2022. Clients describe him as “flexible, insightful, and authoritative,” and “definitely a go-to economist on any market study/investigation.” They commend his “strategic awareness,” “intellectual rigor,” and “eloquent manner.” Mr. Saggers entered economic consulting more than 15 years ago, having completed three postgraduate degrees and a period as a university lecturer.
Director
Dr. Ang specializes in the economics of consumer financial services, antitrust, consumer protection, banking, and labor. She has deep experience leading teams working with large, complex data. Dr. Ang has submitted reports and testified in matters in federal, state, and administrative law court, consulted on Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Federal Trade Commission investigations, and advised bank and non-bank clients on consumer financial services compliance issues.
Mr. Kvekvetsia leads projects for corporate clients, governments, and international financial institutions, guiding them on energy sector restructuring, integration of renewable energy, cost-benefit analysis of government policies and investment projects in energy and water sectors, market due diligence, valuation and risk analysis of energy assets, and merger cases. Mr. Kvekvetsia is a seasoned expert witness with testifying experience in arbitration. He has developed a range of market simulation and valuation models, helping clients estimate damages in the context of international arbitration and litigation.
Mr. Patton, a Toronto-based expert, provides advice and testimony in the areas of economics, finance, and valuation. His extensive work at NERA focuses on securities class actions and other collective actions by investors, commercial disputes, international arbitration, financial services disputes, and regulatory enforcement. Mr. Patton holds a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.