Pick Everard acquires South England based Optimum Consultancy

Pick Everard, a property and construction consulting firm headquartered in Leicester, has acquired Cheltenham-based Optimum Consultancy. The move sees Pick Everard hope to further expand operations in the South of England by leveraging Optimum’s pre-existing client-base.

Optimum Consultancy has been bought by rival firm Pick Everard as the company seeks to further expand across the country. Optimum, a consulting firm based in Cheltenham, offers a range of key business consultancy services to the region, including project and programme management, cost management and project support. The company has worked on a number of high-profile schemes, including the offices for the London Stock Exchange, developments for the Crown Estate, and Transport for London, as well as a multiple high-end retail projects, which have previously seen Optimum work with the likes of Selfridges. The acquisition process will see the company rebranded under the single name of Pick Everard, who obtained ownership for an undisclosed fee.

Pick Everard is a Leicester-based property and construction consultancy firm. The acquisition comes after the organisation opened two new offices in Birmingham and Bristol this year, reaching a total of 11 locales across the UK, employing more than 450 people. The firm was founded in 1866 by namesake John Breedon Everard, and has since come to offer multi-disciplinary services across the private and public domains, supporting projects in everything from education to water.

This latest deal boosts the company’s presence in the South of England, and through the acquisition the firm hopes to access a springboard into new opportunities in the South, as well as further broadening its services offering. The UK consulting market is worth around £10 billion, making it Europe's second largest consultancy base, and acquiring Optimum further strengthens Pick Everard in the sector, which has seen strong growth in recent years, ranging between 6% and 10%. The merger will see Optimum owners Peter Maryszczak and John Orchard continue to work with Pick Everard in nurturing and developing its client base and sector specialisms, despite the singular rebranding.

Commenting on the acquisition, Alastair Hamilton, a Partner at Pick Everard, said, "This is an exciting opportunity for us to join forces with an established specialist consultancy and to take on new staff members whose portfolios feature some very impressive projects. We are looking forward to further strengthening our presence in the South West and South East and taking this opportunity to add even greater specialist expertise, which we can provide to clients." He added, “We believe that the merger will provide us with a springboard to secure new opportunities.”

Peter Maryszczak meanwhile reflected on the transfer of the firm, stating, "By working with Pick Everard our existing clients will be able to access a broader range of services through an established multi-disciplinary consultancy."