What Forward Global does

Forward Global is a Paris-headquartered risk and reputation management consultancy that delivers integrated services and proprietary technology to help enterprises, institutions, and government bodies manage digital, economic, and information risks. Founded by Matthieu Creux (described as co-founder and Chairman), the firm operates through 11+ offices spanning France (Paris, Marseille), the US (Washington D.C., New York, Miami), the UK (London), Belgium (Brussels), Canada (Montreal), Switzerland (Geneva), Côte d'Ivoire (Abidjan), and the UAE (Abu Dhabi), with a headcount of 350-400 professionals. Forward Global is privately held, incorporated as a French société par actions simplifiée (SAS) with registered capital of €31,576,704, and received growth capital from Bridgepoint Development Capital IV in May 2024 to support US expansion and continued M&A.

The firm's service portfolio spans seven core practices: Cybersecurity (threat intelligence, CSIRT, security evaluation, training), Litigation/Arbitration/Dispute Support, Combating Illicit Trade, Investment Strategy & Intelligence, M&A Intelligence, Risk & Compliance Investigations, and Strategic Communications & Government Affairs. These are reinforced by eight proprietary technology platforms — Ambionics (continuous web application security), Lexhunt (digital forensics with 220+ artifact types), Dataleaks (data leak detection), Uncovery (external attack surface management), Leakid (illegal content removal), Evanesco (secure data erasure), Dilitrack (due diligence), and Ubik Learning Academy (cybersecurity training) — alongside a portfolio of recurring industry events (INCYBER Forum, European Cyber Cup, Vauban Sessions, World Giverny Forum). The firm has scaled primarily through M&A, accumulating 35+ subsidiaries and acquired brands including Forward Risk, Lexfo, CEIS, DGM, Ambionics, Calypt, and Cercle de Giverny.

Forward Global's commercial model combines project-based professional services (crisis response, M&A diligence, litigation support, government affairs, strategic communications) with recurring technology subscriptions and an event-driven ecosystem that drives thought leadership and demand generation. Customer segments are described as large multinational corporations and government bodies, served via direct enterprise field sales across global offices. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the firm reports that growth is "supported by recurring revenues." Notable recent strategic moves include the Bridgepoint investment (May 2024), the merger with RM Conseil (2024), the Abu Dhabi branch (November 2025), the Miami office (2025), and the launch of a Venezuela Task Force (January 2026). A 2026 news report implicated the firm in influence-campaign activity related to Venezuela, which is a reputational risk factor not reflected in operating status.

Name

Forward Global

Legal name

Forward Global

Website

https://forwardglobal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Forward Global is a Paris-headquartered risk and reputation management consultancy serving global enterprises and government bodies with cybersecurity, litigation support, strategic communications, and M&A intelligence, augmented by eight proprietary technology platforms and 11+ global offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Risk Management Consulting

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Public Relations Agencies (54182), Other Computer Related Services (541519)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Management Services (8741), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Third-Party Risk, Vendor Due Diligence & Supply Chain Compliance (BPAEAPAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cause, ESG & Sustainability Communications (MPAAADAL), ESG Governance, Sustainability Reporting & Assurance Advisory (BPAHAFAJ)

Keywords

• Risk management services
• Cybersecurity consulting
• Due diligence advisory
• Compliance investigations
• Strategic communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Risk Management Services: Forward Global generates revenue through providing cybersecurity, litigation, regulatory intelligence, and strategic communication services to global companies and government bodies. The company has grown through acquisitions and organic growth supported by recurring revenues.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Forward Global designs and delivers services and proprietary technologies to help executives, businesses, and institutions understand, prepare for, and manage digital, economic, and information risks. The offering combines seven advisory service lines (cybersecurity, litigation and dispute support, illicit trade, investment strategy, M&A intelligence, risk and compliance investigations, strategic communications and government affairs) with eight in-house technology platforms and an ecosystem of industry events.

Product overview

Forward Global operates as a comprehensive risk and reputation management consultancy offering both core consulting services and proprietary technology platforms. The company provides seven core service areas: Cybersecurity, Litigation/Dispute Support, Combating Illicit Trade, Investment Strategy & Intelligence, M&A Intelligence, Risk & Compliance Investigations, and Strategic Communications & Government Affairs. These services are complemented by eight proprietary technology platforms: Leakid (illegal content removal), Ambionics (web application security testing), Uncovery (external attack surface management), Dataleaks (data leak detection), Evanesco (secure data erasure), Ubik Learning Academy (cybersecurity training), Dilitrack (due diligence), and Lexhunt (digital forensics). The company also generates industry ecosystems through events including INCYBER Forum, European Cyber Cup, World Giverny Forum, and Vauban Sessions. With approximately 350-400 professionals across offices in Paris, Brussels, London, Washington DC, Montreal, New York, Abidjan, Miami, and Abu Dhabi, Forward Global serves global companies and government bodies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Leakid: Platform for identifying and removing illegal content from the internet.
• Ambionics
• Dataleaks
• Uncovery
• Evanesco
• Dilitrack
• Lexhunt
• Ubik Learning Academy
• INCYBER Forum
• European Cyber Cup
• Vauban Sessions
• OSINT Day
• Trust & Safety Forum
• Cybersecurity For Industry
• ID & KYC Forum
• Web3 Security Summit

Products and services

• Cybersecurity Cyber risk management service for executives, businesses, and institutions, covering threat anticipation, security evaluation, audit and certification, training and awareness, incident response (CSIRT), and digital risk strategy.
• Litigation, Arbitration and Dispute Support Technical support for internal and external investigations, media management under judicial constraint, anti-competition accusations, environmental crimes, asset and person searches, evidence evaluation, and computer data recovery for clients involved in disputes, arbitration, or litigation.
• Combating Illicit Trade Investigative and advisory service addressing crypto-criminality, illegal trade, crimes against persons, industrial property protection, and literary and artistic property protection for corporations and rights holders.
• Investment Strategy & Intelligence Country risk analysis, local development advisory, competitive and sector studies, geopolitics and international forecasting, financing and strategic project research, and sovereign market access strategy and bid management for investors and operators.
• M&A Intelligence M&A intelligence and investigation due diligence services, including ESG due diligence, cyber maturity evaluation of targets, acquisition target assessment, investor and LP evaluation, and external quality assessment of management.
• Risk & Compliance Investigations Sanctions compliance, trade compliance, background investigations, third-party integrity and reputation assessment, procedure evaluation and implementation, third-party compliance platform management, and beneficial ownership and asset analysis for corporations and financial institutions.
• Strategic Communications & Government Affairs European affairs, public affairs, strategic communication, creative web and offline content design, competition and regulated markets, territorial marketing, major event organization, institutional relations, and digital strategies for organizations operating in complex political and regulatory environments.
• Leakid Proprietary platform for identifying and removing illegal content from the internet, helping organizations protect their online reputation.
• Ambionics Continuous offensive web application security assessment that automates technical and functional mapping, surfaces real-time vulnerability alerts, and provides remediation recommendations to help organizations stay ahead of real cyber threats.
• Uncovery External Attack Surface Management (EASM) platform that discovers and continuously monitors an organization's external digital assets and exposure.
• Dataleaks Data leak identification platform that detects shadow IT, analyzes sensitive document and information exposure, and supports incident response including data recovery and remediation.
• Evanesco Secure data erasure service that ensures complete and permanent data destruction from IT equipment, including environment and risk analysis, secure deletion policy implementation, specialized deletion software, physical destruction of media, and certification reports.
• Ubik Learning Academy Cybersecurity training and awareness platform providing educational programs that build organizational security capability.
• Dilitrack Due diligence platform for evaluating acquisition targets, investors, and third parties as part of M&A intelligence and risk and compliance investigations.
• Lexhunt Digital forensics and artifact investigation tool used by CSIRT teams to process evidence (disk copies, tool collections, logs) and trace attacker methodology from initial compromise to detection, with ELK stack integration.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• FGS Global: Global strategic communications and advisory firm formed by the merger of Finsbury, Hering Schuppener, and others, serving corporate and government clients on crisis, M&A, and public affairs - directly comparable to Forward Global's Strategic Communications & Government Affairs and Litigation/Dispute Support practices.
• Brunswick Group: International corporate communications and advisory firm with deep M&A, crisis, and government affairs practices, serving many of the same multinational executives that Forward Global targets in its strategic communications and investment strategy services.
• Kroll: Global risk and investigations firm offering cyber risk, due diligence, compliance, and security consulting - a close functional analogue to Forward Global's Risk & Compliance Investigations, M&A Intelligence, and cybersecurity services.
• Control Risks: Specialist risk consultancy delivering political risk, security, integrity, and investigations services to multinationals and governments, closely matching Forward Global's geopolitical intelligence, crisis response, and compliance offerings.
• APCO Worldwide: Global advisory and public affairs firm operating at the intersection of corporate communications, government affairs, and crisis - a direct peer to Forward Global's Strategic Communications & Government Affairs line, particularly in Brussels and EU affairs.
• Hakluyt: Strategic intelligence and advisory firm serving senior corporate leaders on geopolitical, commercial, and security issues, closely mirroring the intelligence-driven components of Forward Global's Investment Strategy & Intelligence and Risk & Compliance Investigations services.
• Kekst CNC: Strategic communications consultancy specializing in M&A, crisis, and corporate reputation, with strong overlap with Forward Global's strategic communications, M&A intelligence, and crisis response offerings.
• Sard Verbinnen & Co: Specialist strategic communications advisor to corporations, boards, and investors on M&A, activism, and crisis situations - the closest US analogue to Forward Global's strategic communications and M&A intelligence focus.

Broad incumbents

• FTI Consulting: Large diversified consulting firm with overlapping Strategic Communications, Forensic & Litigation Consulting, and Technology (including cybersecurity) segments; competes with Forward Global across litigation support, M&A intelligence, and crisis communications.
• Edelman: World's largest PR firm with substantial corporate reputation, public affairs, and risk communications practices; competes for the same enterprise executives on crisis, public affairs, and ESG communications that Forward Global serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forwardglobal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Forward Global