Kepler bolsters French team with acquisition of boutique Leading

International consulting firm KEPLER has in its home market of France acquired LEADING, a boutique business consultancy based in Paris.

Paris headquartered KEPLER is active with offices in four countries (France, United States, India and China), and now sees its team in France approach the 50-mark, with its firmwide headcount at around 80.

The deal is part of KEPLER’s ambition to grow its footprint to 120 consultants within the span of two years, said Lionel Muller, president and co-founder of KEPLER.

Founded in 1992, LEADING Management Consultants advises clients on topics including strategy, organisation, operations and customer excellence, and supports with the implementation of change programs. The firm’s clientele spans several sectors, with banking, insurance and healthcare its sweet spot sectors. Well-known clients include Crédit Agricole, Banque Postale, Banque Populaire, Thélem, Air Liquide, GE HealthCare and Pfizer.

For KEPLER, which specialises in performance improvement in the operations space, the bolt-on deepens its capabilities in organisational transformation, as well as adds a range of new expertise in customer and employee experience (the latter now sees KEPLER launch a new practice branded as ‘Commercial Excellence’).

“We are delighted to welcome LEADING to our firm,” said Muller. “This strengthens our positioning as an end-to-end transformation partner and enables us to better serve our clients.”

Meanwhile, for LEADING, the move allows the consulting firm to tap into the broader capabilities of KEPLER and its international network, offering plentiful opportunities for its clients and employees, said Vincent Marcadé, co-founder of LEADING and now a partner at KEPLER. “Driven by our common values and culture, the joining of forces will unlock strong synergies.”