Michael Seelhof

Michael Seelhof is a Managing Director at BRG, based in New York, where he serves as a financial, valuation, and banking expert in the context of international arbitration. With over 30 years of experience, he provides expert testimony and advisory services on complex valuation matters across a wide range of industries, including financial services, energy, infrastructure, and logistics. Since joining BRG in 2024, he has been appointed by both claimants and respondents to address high-stakes financial issues in jurisdictions such as ICSID, ICC, LCIA, and UNCITRAL.

He has been recognized by Lexology Index (formerly Who’s Who Legal) as a Thought Leader in Arbitration since 2021, with clients noting his specialized knowledge of financial markets and his ability to handle intricate valuation issues.

M&A and Corporate Development

Before starting his career as an expert in 2014, Mr. Seelhof spent 17 years in senior leadership roles at Commerzbank AG. As Head of Group M&A and Strategic Development, he directed a team of specialists responsible for the bank’s own M&A activity. During this time, he led various acquisition and divestiture projects across Europe and the United States and was involved in several group-wide merger negotiations. In addition to deal execution, he managed the group’s regulatory capital, coordinated capital-raising activities, and acted as the primary liaison for international rating agencies.

His experience also includes serving as an M&A advisor for private equity and industrial clients on large-scale maritime, energy infrastructure and fintech investments.

Investment Banking

Mr. Seelhof also served as the Global Chief Operating Officer and a Divisional Board Member for Commerzbank’s Investment Banking division. In this role, he co-managed 1,800 staff across 18 locations, with responsibility for operations, financial controlling, risk management, liquidity, and regulatory capital. He led the 18-month post-merger integration of the investment banking units following Commerzbank’s acquisition of Dresdner Bank in 2009. He also oversaw the 2005 restructuring of the investment bank, which focused the business on core regions and client services to return the division to profitability.

Electric Power Sector

As a Managing Director at BRG and formerly a Principal at Tabors Caramanis Rudkevich, Mr. Seelhof provides expert testimony on damages, investment advisory, and policy guidance across the global power sector. He has advised investors on the development, valuation, and financial modeling of transmission, pumped-storage, and power-generation projects in the United States. His testifying experience includes appearances before the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and in transmission- and generation-related disputes globally. Additionally, he has provided strategic policy advice on market design and regulatory reform to government entities and utilities in Malaysia and Canada.

Academic and Professional Background

Mr. Seelhof holds an MSc in Engineering and Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and an MSc in Mathematics from Justus-Liebig-Universität in Germany. He has published work on damages in energy arbitrations and credit risk modeling. He is a frequent presenter at international disputes conferences including Paris Arbitration Week, Washington Arbitration Week and New York Arbitration Week.

Mr. Seelhof lives in New York. He is a native German speaker, fluent in English, and has a working knowledge of Spanish. Mr. Seelhof is also a member of the American Council on Germany.