BrazilLeading TMT consultancies merge to form 300-strong Altman Solon
Two of the world’s larger strategy and management consulting firms specialised in the telecommunications, media and technology (TMT) sectors have merged. The joining of forces between Altman Vilandrie & Company and Solon Management Consulting creates Altman Solon, a 300-strong advisory group with offices in North America and Europe.
Both consultancies have a similar heritage. Altman Vilandrie & Company launched in 2002 in the US, and has been dedicated to the TMT sector since the very start. Prior to the joining of forces, the company had around 200 partners and consultants, working from offices in Boston, New York and San Francisco.
Solon Management Consulting’s history goes back to 1996, when it launched in Munich, Germany. Since, the privately-held firm has grown to a 100-strong consultancy with offices in London, Milan, Munich, Paris and Warsaw.
Both companies have over the years built an industry leading track record in the consulting landscape. Their teams have helped clients shape some of their most pressing strategic challenges, including new market entry strategies into for instance the burgeoning SaaS and cloud computing market, business model innovation and portfolio diversification. 
They have implemented many of the era-defining developments in the TMT sector including deployment of fiber and 5G networks, as well as help players build and monetise OTT and streaming services, and nurture partnerships in the broader TMT ecosystem. Altman Vilandrie & Company and Solon Management Consulting both also have strong M&A practices – they help strategic buyers and financial investors with dealmaking strategy, commercial and technical due diligence and transaction support.
By merging, the two businesses bring together their complementary experience to create one of the larger TMT consulting firms in North America and Europe.
The move comes on the back of a decade-long partnership between the two firms, inspiring the confidence among their leaders that the merger not only adds value to clients and employees, but also is a cultural fit. “We can now deliver the most comprehensive consulting services in TMT… our clients can now benefit from understanding worldwide best practices, business scenarios and technical developments,” said Patrick Bellenbaum, co-Managing Partner of the Altman Solon.
Rory Altman, the founder of Altman Vilandrie & Company and now co-Managing Partner of Altman Solon, added, “The merger takes our business to the next level, by giving Altman Solon the capability to solve global telecommunications, media and technology problems with expertise drawn from a much broader pool of markets, situations and clients.”
Earlier this year, Delta Partners – another TMT focused strategy and management consultancy – was acquired by FTI Consulting.
Other leading strategic consultancies in the segment include the MBB trio of McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group and Bain & Company, and niche player Analysys Mason.
