BrazilKPMG's French strategy consulting practice moves to Paris centre
The strategy consulting arm of KPMG, which operates as Global Strategy Group (GSG), has relocated its French division from the business district of La Défense to the city centre of Paris.
It was back in 2015 when KPMG France created its Global Strategy Group practice. This unit helps clients with five main topics: growth strategy, operating strategy & cost, deal strategy, strategic transformation and digital strategy. The division is led by the firm’s US organisation, headed by Chicago-based Alex Miller.
Last year, the French Global Strategy Group saw its position bolstered significantly when it poached a four-strong partner team from Monitor Deloitte: Jean-Charles Ferreri, Bertrand Grau, Grégory Morel and Cyril Gay Belan. They have been tasked with expanding the firm’s footprint, integrated service offerings and to accelerate growth.
At present, the Global Strategy Group has around 50 partners and consultants in France, with the ambition of growing to 100+ consultants in the coming two to three years.
As part of this recruitment drive, the firm has decided to move its locale from La Défense – Paris’ major business district located three kilometres west of the city limits – to the 8th arrondissement. The move, said Cyril Gay Belan in an interview with Consultor, was motivated by the desire of both consultants and candidates to be in the heart of the city.
An analysis of office locations for the leading strategy consulting firms in France shows that over the years, many have moved their premises to the area. Monitor Deloitte and Strategy& are furthest away from the city centre, while rivals such as McKinsey & Company, Oliver Wyman, Cylad Consulting and Corporate Value Associates are all also based in the 8th arrondissement.
Inaugurated last week, Global Strategy Group France has now fully moved its consultants and staff.
KPMG’s Global Strategy Group
As the last of the Big Four, KPMG launched a separate brand for strategic consulting services in France. Previously, Deloitte launched Monitor Deloitte (after it acquired Monitor Group globally in 2012) and EY established EY-Parthenon (after it bought Parthenon Group globally, and in France it beefed up considerably with the acquisition of OC&C’s local French operation).
PwC however completed the largest acquisition of the trio, buying Booz & Company in 2013 for a reported $1 billion. Due to contractual ties with Booz Allen Hamilton, forged when Booz & Company split out of Booz Allen, PwC had to rebrand the firm, and picked the Strategy& brand.
KPMG meanwhile tried to purchase German-origin Roland Berger, but after the deal didn’t materialse, it opted for an organic approach to building its strategy consulting business, going to market as KPMG Global Strategy Group.
