Deloitte Buys Data Firm Down Under

Australian insight firm Pathfinder Solutions has been acquired by consultants Deloitte for an undisclosed amount, strengthening the latter's fast-growing analysis and data management offering.

Pathfinder provides customer behaviour modelling services, data solutions and marketing analysis, plus a geodemographic neighbourhood classification system covering Australia and New Zealand.

The firm's fourteen Australian and one NZ-based senior analysis staff will join Deloitte this month, bringing the consultancy's strength in analysis, e-discovery and information management in the country to around 190 people.

Deloitte CEO Giam Swiegers said his firm in Australia had spotted an opportunity in the data analytics and management sector in 2002 and had been making investments in it since, beginning with just a couple of staff including head of Deloitte Analytics Anthony Viel, and boosted by the hiring of a large number of ex-Bearing Point staff in late 2008. 'Next decade will be a decade of data and companies will be realising what will be happening' added Swiegers, who believes the latest buy will increase Deloitte's capacity 'to assist organisations in highly advanced customer segmentation approaches... in insurance pricing and risk management and with the efficient targeting of sales force teams'.

David McCloskey, who founded Pathfinder nine years ago and will continue to oversee the business while exploring new opportunities, says the two firms have been talking to each other for about three and a half years, and 'share a fundamental cultural and strategic vision: to stay at the forefront of business analytics.'

Deloitte, on the web at www.deloitte.com , has twelve Australian offices and more than 4,500 people: its data division generates around 8% of its c.$850m turnover. Pathfinder's web site is at www.pathfindersolutions.com.au .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.