US consulting firm Slalom opens Manchester office

American tech consultancy Slalom has announced plans to open a Manchester office in which it will employ 200 staff by 2025. The firm opened a London office in 2014, and also recently launched its operations in Canada.

Slalom is one of the largest management and technology consultancies in North America, with some 4,000 consultants, and revenues of more than $550 million.

Founded in Seattle in 2001, the advisory firm spent its initial 13 years of business focusing on domestic expansion. While many fast-growing firms in Europe seek to expand across borders to open up new markets, Slalom’s positioning in the world’s largest and most mature consulting market meant that by the start of 2014, the firm had grown its revenues to around $480 million with offices solely in the US.

At that point, however, the firm decided the time was finally right to go global, and in the Summer of 2014 the consultancy opened an office in London. Run by Alex Qatsha – formerly a consultant at Unisys, Accenture and Deloitte – the London operation has since enjoyed a growing track record across the UK and European clients and industries.

Through its London office, Slalom has established a reputation in the UK for successfully delivering impactful projects to private and public sector clients across numerous industries.

In the following four years, Slalom has grown into more new markets, including Canada – where it opened an office in Toronto – and launched a new software and tech 'building' offering. Amid growing demand in the UK, the consultancy has turned its attentions back to British shores once more. The UK represents the world’s second largest individual market for consulting services, and with the Northern Powerhouse project seeing business boom in the North-West in particular, Slalom has opted to launch a new Manchester office. 

While the move to a fast-growing region is understandable, it comes after venture capital funding fell by 30% in the North West in 2018. The haul was worth £122.2 million, down from £173.4 million in 2017, while the North as a whole saw the same 30% venture capital drop.

Despite that, Slalom hopes its second UK location at Peter House, in the heart of Manchester’s innovation and academic district, will allow it to tap into the city’s deep talent pool, while investing in the development of its existing team members to strengthen its UK reputation. The company plans to employ 200 people in Manchester by 2025.

Dave Williams, UK Country Managing Director, said, “Manchester is a city of digital enterprise with a wide range of strengths across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, utilities and consumer services – which perfectly complements Slalom’s breadth of expertise. We’re looking forward to collaborating with clients to shape their internal capabilities, building a team and making an impact on the local community.”

Paul Squire, Managing Director – who will move from the London office to head up operations in Manchester –  added, “I’m excited about working with our clients in the North West of England, helping them to deliver people-centric change, bring strategic solutions to life, and ultimately, to love their future.”

Tim Newns, Chief Executive of Manchester’s inward investment agency, MIDAS, meanwhile stated, “Greater Manchester is a hotbed for collaboration and innovation, making it the ideal location for pioneering businesses like Slalom... Establishing operations within one of Europe’s largest digital and technology clusters will provide the consultancy firm with ample opportunities to join forces with the rapidly increasing number of world-leading brands that are choosing Manchester.”