PA Consulting Buys Product Design Agency Astro

In the US, change management advisor PA Consulting has acquired brand strategy and product design agency Astro Studios for an undisclosed sum.

Formed in 1994 and based in San Francisco, Astro uses insights about people, culture and markets - from MR, user experience analysis and other evaluation activities - as the basis for creating consumer tech products and brands. The insights fuel visualization tools which are used as part of the prototyping and development, launch to market, and joint R&D processes.

The deal follow's PA Consulting's 2019 purchase of specialist innovation business 4iNNO, and provides it with a West Coast centre for innovation and design. The team will work in partnership with PA's Global Innovation and Technology Centre in Cambridge, UK and Essential Design in Boston (acquired by PA in 2018). Ken Toombs (pictured), Head of Americas at PA Consulting, said: 'As well as enhancing our US presence, the brilliant Astro team will extend our capabilities at the front-end of design, bringing our clients' customers a world of ingenuous opportunities'.

Web sites: www.paconsulting.com and www.astrostudios.com .