Australian SAP Consultancy Merges with Swiss Consultancy to Form Lodestone Management Consultants

Leading Australian SAP consultancy Benelong Consulting has today announced its merger with Swiss-based Lodestone Management Consultants to form Lodestone Management Consultants Pty Ltd in Australia.
 
Announcing the merger, Benelong Director Bradley Burt said the new company is a triumph for client-centric and people-focussed consulting.  
 
Companies share approach and vision  
Both companies were established by senior people from the big consultancies. ~We felt the strongest asset of a consulting business is its people,~ Burt said. ~and if they are treated properly, they will always do their best for the client. That seemed to have resonance in our respective SAP markets, as both companies have enjoyed very healthy growth, Lodestone spectacularly so.~
 
The three Benelong directors, Anthony Buntic, Bradley Burt and Paul McLaren, will buy into the partnership to become Lodestone Partners. ~It~s good for us, yes. But it~s great for our consultants, because they are becoming a part of a new company that has exactly the same values as the old one, but that now offers them an international career path, right up to partner,~ Burt said.
 
Merger resulted from working together on client projects
Benelong and Lodestone first met while working together on a project for Allianz Australia. ~We really enjoyed working with the Lodestone people, but we didn~t necessarily see it developing into a formal relationship,~ Burt said. ~We have been approached by quite a few big consultancies before, but none shared our business outlook. But Lodestone does. And when our three directors talked about it, taking the relationship to the next step became a pretty obvious thing to do.~
 
It also became obvious for Benelong clients. The two companies worked together again on an SAP implementation project for Kimberly-Clark and Senior Manager - Global Systems Asia Pacific, Joe Marsella could immediately see the synergy between the two companies. ~Consultants were made available for the successful rollout of the Kimberly-Clark Asia-Pacific SAP template to China and Hong Kong,~ Marsella said, ~The responsiveness to the request and quality of the resources provided contributed to Kimberly-Clark~s achievement of an outstanding result.~
 
Merger benefits both companies
Managing Partner of Lodestone, Peter ~dman said that the merger offers great benefits for both parties, with Benelong instantly developing extra capabilities and a global network, while Lodestone gains a sound, proven base in the fast growing Asia Pacific region. As well, it gives Lodestone access to Australian SAP consultants for its international operations.
 
Lodestone~s rapid growth
In just under two years, Lodestone has become an international success story, with presence now in ten countries (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Luxemburg, Portugal, Switzerland, Thailand, UK and USA), employing more then 225 consultants. The growth, while rapid, is sustainable according to ~dman, because of the carefully planned growth strategy. ~When we enter a new market, we have partnered and then merged with a leading local consultancy such as Benelong,~ ~dman said. ~So that means we have not gone into the market as outsiders.~
 
SAP positive about outcome
Commenting on the merger, SAP Australia Channels Manager, Matt Bolton, said ~The merger is great news for our Australian partner Benelong and also for its Australian clients. Lodestone is a trusted SAP partner in Europe with a great track record of SAP implementations. Together the two companies will complement each other by bringing a deeper range of SAP expertise in each market.~
 
Clients happy with merger
Burt reiterated, ~Our clients are very happy with Benelong in Australia, but we didn~t necessarily give them the coverage they needed for their international plans. Lodestone is perfect for that. And I~m sure international companies working in Australia will be happy to have Lodestone here as well.~
 
~You hear the clich~ often, but this really is a case of ~think global, act local~.~
 
ENDS
 
About Lodestone
Lodestone Management Consultants (Lodestone) is a management consultancy that designs and implements solutions that address complex business issues faced by large organisations who have selected SAP as their strategic platform. Lodestonewas founded in August 2005 and has its headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland with presence in Belgium, Canada, Germany, Luxemburg, Portugal, Switzerland, Thailand, UK and USA. Lodestone brings together a team of the foremost professionals, drawn from the best SAP consultants from around the world and currently employs 200 consultants. Lodestone is committed to rapid growth and intends to create further branch offices through a combination of internal growth and acquisition. Lodestone has completed major projects for companies such as Allianz, Hoffmann-La Roche, Munich Re, Nestl~, Novartis, Sandoz, Schindler and many more.  Please find more information about us, our history, services and people at www.lodestonemc.com
 
About Benelong
Benelong Consulting (Benelong) was incorporated in 2003 and over the past 4 years has grown to become one of the respected consulting, business software, systems integration and support companies in the Australian SAP marketplace. The company~s headquarters is in Sydney and currently employs 25 consultants mobilised to service their customers across Australia. In addition, a contingent of Benelong consultants are based in Asia servicing our Australian based customers who have a presence in China and South East Asia. Benelong~s consulting services cover the full spectrum of business transformation and ERP implementation programs, specialising in SAP. Benelong is both a SAP services and SAP channel partner (acting as a reseller ofSAP software). Benelong has completed projects for companies such as Kimberly Clark, Allianz, Daikin, Goodman Fielder, Sanitarium, Woolworths and ANSTO (Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation) and many more.  Please find more information about us at www.benelong.com  
 
For further information, please contact Bradley Burt on 0419 226 096
 
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