A successful partnership with The Carlyle Group, the global investment firm, which took a 51 per cent stake in PA during 2015, has enabled PA to enhance its end-to-end innovation capabilities by acquiring a number of specialist consultancies. In 2017-19, PA bought consumer insights company Sparkler, digital experience and design firm We Are Friday, aviation consultancy Nyras, and, in the US, the innovation strategy and product design business Essential Design and the specialist growth strategy firm 4iNNO.
As a result of PA’s strong business performance, the board of directors has decided to explore options for the next investment cycle and has initiated the initial stages of this process. PA’s preference is to seek future investment in a similar Private Equity type structure. This will enable PA to remain an independent consulting business and to continue to deliver great outcomes for PA’s clients and great career opportunities for its people.
Alan Middleton, PA Consulting’s CEO, said: “PA has a clear purpose and a strong track record of ahead-of-market growth. We’re perfectly positioned to deliver on our ambitious growth plans, through bringing ingenuity to life for our clients and our people”.