FTI Consulting added six professionals to the firm’s Performance Improvement practice within the Corporate Finance and Restructuring segment. The expansion of the practice includes the addition of senior managing directors Dirk de Waart and Ron Scalzo, managing directors Joseph DeSantis and Sidharth Malhotra, senior director Drew Krut and director Colin Schneeweiss.

de Waart has more than 20 years of experience solving complex operational and strategy problems and delivering measurable improvements for clients in profitability, working capital and customer service. He specializes in strategy consulting, supply chain optimization, performance improvement and merger integration for discrete manufacturers and service providers in the aerospace and defense, diversified industrials, technology and transportation industries.

Prior to joining FTI, de Waart was a partner with PRTM and Strategy. He also held leadership positions with AlliedSignal Aerospace in Europe and the U.S. He is based in Los Angeles.

Scalzo has more than 25 years of experience providing operational, financial and business process transformation services to global companies and accelerating value creation. Scalzo advises senior management and boards of directors for both performing and underperforming companies and private equity sponsors, providing a full range of services to their portfolio companies across a range of industries, including consumer products, industrials, telecommunications, healthcare, transportation and logistics.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Scalzo was vice president and the practice leader of the Private Equity and Supply Chain practices at Hitachi Consulting. Previously, Scalzo was the co-leader of the Supply Chain practice at AlixPartners and the Global Supply Chain practice leader at Protiviti. Scalzo is based in Atlanta.

DeSantis has more than 25 years of experience developing and implementing operational, financial and continuous process improvement (CPI) solutions for global companies. DeSantis has led organizations in supply chain/logistics, finance, customer relations and information technology, streamlining workflows to eliminate waste and add value.

Prior to founding Total Solution Partners and Triple M Management, DeSantis held various leadership positions within the retail and consumer products industries, including serving as senior director of Supply Chain Operations at Office Depot and as director of North American ERP Transformation at Avon Products. DeSantis, who began his career as an Auditor at Ernst & Young, is based in Atlanta.

Malhotra has more than 16 years of experience in strategy, operations and business transformation both as a consultant and a professional in the oil and gas and chemical industries. Prior to joining FTI, Malhotra was a senior director at KPMG Strategy where he led the development of the unconventional discontinuity and chemicals natural supply chain platform in North America.

Prior to KPMG Strategy, Malhotra was a principal at A.T. Kearney, where he managed the growth, strategy and operating model programs in both corporate and government environments within the energy value chain. Before that, Malhotra was a manager at Booz & Company, where he focused on strategy planning, growth strategy and operational transformation in the energy industry. Malhotra is based in Houston.

Krut has 15 years of experience leading global supply chains and fulfillment operations for numerous industry-leading corporations. His experience extends from shop-floor process improvement, delivery and distribution logistics and network optimization to supply chain strategy and expansion planning.

Prior to joining FTI, Krut served as the interim vice president of Global Supply Chain for an industry-leading consumer products PE portfolio company in his capacity as a manager at Alvarez and Marsal’s Private Equity Performance Improvement practice.

Previously, Krut was a member of the senior launch team at Amazon Fresh, where he led the Launch and Fulfillment Operations for Amazon Fresh in the New York City and Philadelphia markets. Krut is based in McLean, VA.

Schneeweiss joins the PI team with expertise in supply chain, marketing, finance and business analytics. Prior to joining FTI, Schneeweiss was a senior manager at ServiceSource, where he designed, developed and built-out profitability and productivity tools that provided insights into current and historical revenue, cost and margin, which resulted in decreased costs and improved profitability.

Schneeweiss began his career at Ernst & Young, where served as an advisory manager responsible for overseeing and managing the design and development of forecasting models for Fortune 500 companies. Schneeweiss is based in Atlanta.

Keith Cooper, national leader of the PI practice at FTI Consulting, said, “I am pleased to welcome this dynamic group of experts to FTI Consulting, who bring rich knowledge and depth across traditional PI disciplines, as well as next generation offerings, such as Internet of Things. With their broad expertise, PI capabilities and unique viewpoints, we are well-positioned to add further value to our clients’ objectives and goals, as well as broaden FTI Consulting’s portfolio of business.”