Sia acquires Seven Consulting to boost Australia presence

Sia has acquired Australian management consulting firm Seven Consulting, expanding its presence in Australia.

Founded in 2002, Seven Consulting has more than 100 consultants, with about half based in Sydney and the rest split between Melbourne and Manila. The firm advises clients on business transformation programmes across banking, government, transportation, retail, and energy and utilities.

The acquisition brings Sia's combined Australian team to about 130 consultants, including its existing operation in Perth. It also gives the group a larger east coast footprint through offices in Sydney and Melbourne.

Seven Consulting's clients include NAB, Macquarie, ASX, Cuscal, Future Fund, and Pepper Money in financial services. It also works with the Australian Government, the governments of New South Wales and Victoria, Australia Post, Woolworths, Coles, Coca-Cola, Optus, Adairs, and AGL.

The deal adds a new set of large corporate and public sector clients to Sia's Australian business. It also broadens the sectors it serves locally, particularly banking, government, transportation, and retail.

The acquisition is part of the strategy Sia has pursued with Blackstone. As the businesses are integrated, Sia expects Seven Consulting to draw on its international network and its capabilities in data and artificial intelligence.

Australian growth

Sia has been expanding its international consulting business across multiple markets, with Australia a key focus. By adding Seven Consulting, the group moves from a smaller base in Perth to a broader national presence and a stronger position in the country's main commercial centres.

Seven Consulting has built its business around programme delivery and change management for large transformation efforts, including assignments for some of Australia's largest public and private sector organisations.

Matthieu Courtecuisse, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sia, said the acquisition would strengthen both Sia's sector access and local scale.

"Seven Consulting's deep expertise in Program Delivery and Change Management, and its strong relationships with Australia's largest Banking, Government and Retail organizations, make it a highly strategic addition to Sia," said Matthieu Courtecuisse, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sia.

"This acquisition is an important step in our ambition to reach critical mass in Australia and build a significant presence on the East Coast, alongside our existing team in Perth," Courtecuisse added.

Founders' view

For Seven Consulting, the deal links a local transformation specialist with a larger international consulting group. Its leadership said the two firms share a similar approach to client work and business building.

"We found in Sia a partner with the same entrepreneurial mindset, the same focus on high-impact client delivery, and the same conviction that our clients need practical, outcome-focused delivery expertise to navigate their most complex transformation programs," said Declan Boylan, Founder of Seven Consulting.

Gareth James, Managing Director of Seven Consulting, outlined what the firm expects to gain from joining the wider group. "Joining Sia is a unique opportunity for Seven Consulting to expand our reach beyond Australia, bring additional AI and digital capabilities to our clients, and contribute to the growth of a global delivery platform," James said.

Sia has 3,000 consultants across 48 locations in 19 countries. The addition of Seven Consulting strengthens its position in Australia with a larger local workforce, established east coast offices, and access to some of the country's biggest organisations.