Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) hired James Marceau as managing director in its private equity performance improvement group, based in Boston.

Marceau joined the senior leadership team of A&M’s global aerospace, defense and aviation practice with a focus on advising industry clients on complex value chain, financial performance improvement, innovation and growth, supply chain, manufacturing, digital technologies and advanced data analytics, while bringing new capabilities to customers across the business and enterprise lifecycle.

Marceau has more than 25 years of experience advising U.S. government, Department of Defense and foreign government acquisition programs. Additionally, he has worked with original equipment manufacturers, prime contractors and suppliers across the defense industrial base and with international partners.

Marceau’s specific areas of expertise include mergers and acquisitions advisory, advanced data science and analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, business strategy and growth, innovation, lifecycle planning and execution, adaptive manufacturing, supply chain, operations and enterprise transformation.

“The industry is facing a whirlwind of vulnerability and uncertainty amidst on-going investment commitment, government requirements, research and development, engineering and innovation challenges. A&M’s history of leadership, action and results in challenging situations syncs well with our growing aerospace, defense and aviation practice, as well as the firm’s proven ability to maximize value and drive change,” Nick Alvarez, managing director and national practice leader of A&M’s private equity performance improvement group, said.

“Recent events in commercial aviation, the impact of COVID-19 and challenges across the defense industrial base has led to unprecedented sector uncertainty along with financial and operational challenges,” Marceau said. “The success of our defense industrial base concerns both shareholder value and national security. This pandemic will progress from a global health crisis to a global financial crisis impacting most sectors for many years to come. Combining my industry experience with A&M’s operational heritage and integrated platform will help our aerospace, defense and aviation clients perform at the highest levels.”

Prior to joining A&M, Marceau was a partner and member of the board of directors with PA Aerospace and Defense. Previously, he served as president and CEO of Hitachi Consulting’s aerospace and defense business, where he worked with the U.S. DoD and the defense industrial base on the classified Acquisition Category One Defense programs. In his former roles as partner at Oliver Wyman and partner at Capgemini, Marceau focused on business strategy, transformation, digital technologies, supply chain and operations, and mergers and acquisitions.