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Expert witness and programme management guru Tony Caletka is setting up a new international arm for US consultancy firm Greyhawk.

Caletka, formerly managing director at London-based firm Keane Associates, started in his new role last week. He will split his time between London and New York for Greyhawk, which has 100 staff and acts as a construction manager and cost consultant and offers claims and dispute resolution advice.

Caletka will be reunited with former colleague Gary Berman, who founded Greyhawk in 1996 - the two worked together at engineering consulting firm O'Brien Kreitzberg. "There's a bit of trust there," Caletka said.

I can see myself in the long term working three weeks out of a month in the US and the other week abroad

Tony Caletka

He said he would spend six to eight months "in transition" as he will have work inherited from Keane Associates. His most notable case is acting for steel contractor Cleveland Bridge in its court case against Wembley contractor Multiplex, which is due to start in April.

He said the move suited him both personally and professionally. "I wanted to join a company that had international interests with the facility to work in the US," he said. "I can see myself in the long term working three weeks out of a month in the US and the other week abroad."

His joining is a reunion of sorts and fits in with our long-term strategy

Gary Berman, Greyhawk president and CEO

Caletka said he was dividing time roughly 50/50 between live dispute work and with front end programming advice. He said the appeal of Greyhawk was it carried out purely professional services work such as construction management without including contracting as well, as many US firms do. He added that the international operation would be based in London and could include areas such as the Middle East. "We will go where the work takes us," he said.

Greyhawk president and chief executive Berman said Caletka's presence would increase the standing of the firm in the overseas market. "His joining is a reunion of sorts and fits in with our long-term strategy to expand Greyhawk's international client base by providing consulting services to the power and renewable energy sectors," he said.