Haywood Hunt names Craig Hannaford strategic advisor for financial crime and corporate risk

Haywood Hunt & Associates has appointed former RCMP superintendent Craig Hannaford as Strategic Advisor, Financial Crime & Corporate Risk. The move brings added senior expertise to the firm’s corporate investigations work as organizations face more complex fraud, governance and regulatory threats.

Why it matters: - Haywood Hunt is adding a veteran investigator with deep financial crime experience to support higher-stakes corporate investigations. - The appointment strengthens the firm’s ability to advise clients facing fraud, misconduct, regulatory and governance risk. - The move also reinforces the firm’s focus on complex matters that often cross legal, financial and operational lines.

What happened: - Haywood Hunt & Associates Inc. appointed Craig Hannaford as Strategic Advisor, Financial Crime & Corporate Risk. - Hannaford previously worked at Haywood Hunt from 2019 to 2024 as a senior member of the Corporate Investigations team. - Haywood Hunt said Hannaford will provide senior-level strategic counsel to leadership and support the firm’s Corporate Investigations Division.

The details: - Hannaford brings more than four decades of experience in financial crime, commercial crime investigations, regulatory matters, corporate governance, fraud risk management and economic crime. - He spent 25 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and retired as Superintendent and Officer in Charge of the Integrated Market Enforcement Team. - In that role, Hannaford oversaw investigations involving securities and stock market fraud. - He also served as Officer in Charge of the Greater Toronto Area Commercial Crime Section. - His RCMP career included senior roles involving securities fraud, investment fraud, financial misconduct and other complex financial crimes. - Hannaford is a Chartered Professional Accountant, adding financial expertise to his investigative background. - He holds a Master of Science in Economic Crime Management from Utica University. - His studies focused on financial crime, fraud prevention, governance and organizational risk. - After his policing career, Hannaford worked with organizations on financial crime, fraud risk, regulatory matters, investigative strategy and corporate governance. - Haywood Hunt’s Corporate Investigations Division works with corporations, law firms, insurers, financial institutions and other organizations. - The division’s capabilities include complex fraud investigations, asset tracing and recovery support, insurance and benefits fraud, financial irregularities, investigative intelligence, due diligence, litigation support and complex corporate investigations. - The multidisciplinary team includes professionals with backgrounds in RCMP Commercial Crime, financial crime and major fraud investigations, investigative intelligence, financial institution investigations and regulatory enforcement, along with Certified Fraud Examiners and corporate investigators. - Haywood Hunt said that combination helps the firm assess sophisticated fraud and financial matters across jurisdictions.

Between the lines: - The hire suggests Haywood Hunt is leaning further into senior advisory work as fraud cases become more specialized and more likely to involve regulatory, legal and reputational exposure. - Hannaford’s mix of law enforcement, accounting and advisory experience gives the firm a profile that is meant to appeal to clients needing both investigative rigor and financial context.

What's next: - Hannaford will contribute to the firm’s approach to complex investigative and advisory matters. - Haywood Hunt said it expects his guidance to help further strengthen its corporate investigations and financial crime capabilities. - The firm said clients can contact it at 1-877-646-7878 or visit more information.