Three former partners of accountant and management consultant KPMG Peat Marwick have bought in to management and information technology consultancy the OSI Group and launched OSI Group Holdings to offer what it calls a new style of management consultancy throughout Europe. Looks like businesses are no longer prepared to pay consultants to produce clever-sounding reports and then just walk away. OSI says it will actually stick around to implement the large-scale change programmes that it recommends to its customers. KPMG partners involved are Richard Price, Roger Hornby and William Marshall. Price said that as three of some 600 KPMG partners, they felt they lacked the ability to control or manage the consultancy. All three wanted a more hands-on management role and saw the opportunity with the OSI Group. The deal, estimated to be worth around ú12m, is backed by venture capitalist ECI Ventures, and Lloyds Bank Plc, which is taking an 80% stake in the venture. The company has appointed businessman and England rugby team manager Jack Rowell as chairman, who claims to be looking to instill the same teamwork and drive for success within OSI that I have with the England rugby team. His board will consist of Price, Hornby and Marshall, three OSI partners and a representative from ECI Ventures. The company says it is responding to customers that recognise the need for change and restructuring but need help in the implementation of new information technology, finance, accounting and management systems. It says it has shifted the emphasis to implementation and delivery, away from traditional generalist consultancy on board-level strategy. The new company says its major service offerings include design and management of change programmes, business process analysis and design, project management, business systems planning and implementation based on commercial systems, and information technology and telecommunications strategy and implementation. It says its target sectors are utilities, insurance, banking, retail pharmaceutical and chemical, and any company that wants to change its business processes and needs some expert help. The group employs some 100 staff in offices in the UK and Brussels, and currently has a turnover of around ú10m.
