BrazilIndependent consultants network Riverflex launches in Spain
Riverflex, a supplier of independent management consultants and industry professionals, has established a presence in Spain.
The move comes just over a year after the firm’s founding, and becomes its third market after the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Riverflex provides clients with high quality vetted independent professionals, most of which have a background at tier one consultancies, digital agencies, or held transformation/project roles at industry blue-chips.
Since launching, Riverflex has had a flying start. Last month, the firm revealed that its network of independent consultants had broken the 400-mark, and that it has signed its tenth Fortune 500 company as a client.
The firm is benefitting from a booming market for independent consulting in its two core markets. In the UK, one fifth of all client spending on consulting is now estimated to flow into the pockets of independents, while the Dutch consulting landscape is one of Europe’s most advanced freelance scenes – over 90% of registered consulting entities in the country are in fact independent consultants.
Riding on the gig-economy wave, “independent consulting is increasing at an unprecedented rate and will only grow in importance in future business models,” said Victor Hoong, one of Riverflex’s two co-founders. Prior to setting up Riverflex, Hoong was a partner at Deloitte in the Netherlands, and in that capacity met fellow co-founder André Azadehdel, who had been an independent consultant for eight years following eight years with Deloitte in the United Kingdom.
“Most organisations are only just starting to scratch the surface of independent consulting. That’s why we launched Riverflex – to drive change in consulting and help businesses maximise value from the open talent economy,” they said.
The success of independent consulting models hinges on two key aspects; organisations can tap into the expert skills and flexibility of top professionals for lower fees compared to consulting firms, while independents face the prospects of autonomy combined with challenging, quality project work and – in most cases – a higher bottom-line income. Meanwhile, the consulting industry too has been quick to embrace the gig-model, offering them the added resourcing flexibility to cater for specialist knowledge and peak demand.
From its base in Barcelona, Riverflex now aims at nestling itself into Spain’s revived consulting market, where five years of consecutive growth have lifted total fee income to approximately €1.5 billion. “We are excited that we can bring our business model to Spain,” said Hoong.
“I’m very excited about Riverflex’s value proposition, and I look forward to bringing it to organisations and independents in Spain.”
While the appetite of Spanish consultancy buyers lags that of Western European countries, Laura Barranco, managing director for Riverflex Spain, said she is convinced the firm can be successful. “The number of Spanish businesses that are opting for hiring specific skills on a project by project basis, instead of permanent hires, is growing. Independent professionals are a key contributor to successful business transformations… I believe this is the consulting model of the future.”
“Riverflex provides a structured and tested framework, enabling me to bring a proofed open talent model of top consultants to Spanish organisations. I’m very excited about the value proposition, and I look forward to bringing it to new organisations and independents.”
Barranco has a similar profile to that of Riverflex’s founders. She learned consulting’s tricks of the trade at Deloitte, and having worked from the Big Four’s office in the UK and Switzerland, she most recently was a director at Deloitte Digital in Spain. Leveraging her expertise and network, Riverflex Spain will initially focus on the sourcing of digital talent.
