Oliver Wyman acquires Academee, leading provider of leadership learning solutions
3rd April 2008, International management consulting firm Oliver Wyman has acquired Academee, the leading provider of leadership learning solutions.
The two organisations offer complementary ranges of services in the areas of strategic consultancy and leadership learning.
Oliver Wyman is the leading management consulting firm that combines deep industry knowledge with specialised expertise in strategy, operations, risk management, organisational transformation and leadership development. Delta Organization & Leadership, a division of Oliver Wyman, works collaboratively with CEOs and senior executives to meet the challenges of building talent, accelerating organisational performance, and driving business success.
Academee joins the Oliver Wyman – Delta Executive Learning Center (ELC), which provides top-tier executive education for Global 1000 companies. Headquartered in the US, ELC focuses on major executive development that the world’s largest corporations can use as a strategic lever with their senior executives. Academee extends this leadership development and learning capability deeper into organisations.
Academee’s blended learning solutions combine face-to-face learning, elearning and online applications, and communications and creative design. Specialising in the areas of leadership development, leadership coaching, talent development, outstanding teams, leading diversity, customer experience, change and employee engagement, the Academee learning experience is challenging, enjoyable and focused on implementation.
Academee is headquartered in the UK and works in partnership with major international clients including RBS, AstraZeneca and Fujitsu Services. It has enjoyed several years of strong growth. Last year it grew by a record 28% and expanded into the Asia-Pacific region with the launch of Academee AP, based in Singapore. An award-winning organisation, it is recognised by The Sunday Times as one of The Best Companies to Work For and by The Financial Times as one of The UK’s Best Workplaces.
Simon Hayward, CEO of Academee, is enthusiastic about the enhanced range of services Academee clients can now benefit from: “Oliver Wyman, ELC and Academee were attracted to each other because there is a tremendous synergy between us. Oliver Wyman offers unparalleled expertise in the area of organisational strategy and Academee develops learning solutions to help organisations achieve strategic goals through developing their people. We are both focused on meeting the needs of clients and delivering results.”
The existing Academee leadership team remains in place to drive the organisation forward. “One of the key things that attracted Oliver Wyman to Academee was our culture, and this is central to our development,” says Hayward. “We live our values of client focus and respect for the individual. Our approach is genuinely different and daring and we’re passionate about what we do.”
Kathleen Hoogerhuis, a managing partner of ELC, was impressed by the excellent feedback Academee receives from clients and its partnership approach to client relationships: "Academee has an excellent reputation in the learning solutions marketplace. It is working on increasingly international programmes and is a highly-regarded organisation with a team of high-quality professionals.”
David Bliss, CEO of Oliver Wyman – Delta Organization & Leadership, noted that the acquisition reflects Oliver Wyman's emphasis on deep industry knowledge and expertise: "This depth combined with our knowledge and experience in strategy, leadership development and operations, helps differentiate Oliver Wyman in the marketplace."
ABOUT OLIVER WYMAN
With more than 2,500 professionals in over 40 cities around the globe, Oliver Wyman is the leading management consulting firm that combines deep industry knowledge with specialised expertise in strategy, operations, risk management, organizational transformation, and leadership development. The firm helps clients optimize their businesses, improve their operations and risk profile, and accelerate their organizational performance to seize the most attractive opportunities. Oliver Wyman is part of Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE: MMC).
For more information, visit www.oliverwyman.com
Press Enquiries:
Simon Hayward, CEO Academee
Tel: +44 1625 540540
