EY acquires organisational change consultancy Lane4
UK consultancy Lane4 has been purchased by EY. The cultural transformation advisory will join EY’s People Advisory Services team.
Even after ‘Freedom Day’ on July 19th, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will be felt among the workforce for some time to come. According to a survey of nearly 1,500 people by the Harvard Business Review, the vast majority of people are struggling with workplace well-being, as the pandemic continues to rage. For organisations to remain competitive in the post-Covid-19 era, adopting a longer-term approach to cultural transformation is therefore essential. In this case, there is likely to be a boom in demand for consultants who specialise in assisting clients with cultural change.
As it looks to tap into this, EY has announced the acquisition of Lane4 Management Group, a UK consultancy focused on leadership and team development, organisational performance, transformation and culture change. The move will see Lane4’s 130 staff join the Big Four firm’s People Advisory Services (PAS) team. Operating as EY Lane4, the new addition to the company will bolster EY’s transformational leadership and culture change capabilities, and reputation in the market.
Tricia Nelson, UK and Ireland Managing Partner for EY’s PAS offering, noted, “The acquisition of the business of Lane4 aims to strengthen the EY position as a leading organisation providing leadership development and large-scale, culture and transformational leadership projects… It demonstrates the EY ambition, commitment, and dedication to exceeding EY clients’ expectations across the UK and the world.”
Based in Maidenhead, in England, Lane4 already served 100 clients, and its suite of digital assets, knowledge and skilled teams are expected to greatly compliment EY. Meanwhile, as part of EY’s PAS wing, the firm anticipates being able to extend its reach much further under the EY Lane4 brand.
Adrian Moorhouse, Lane4 Managing Director and Founder remarked, “Our purpose has always been to improve working lives. The powerful combination of EY and Lane4 teams means that we can reach even more leaders and more people as we help clients to reimagine their working worlds and improve the performance of their teams and businesses. Together we will unleash the power of our combined teams.”
The acquisition comes as part of a wider growth strategy in the UK and Ireland for the next four years. EY is looking to bring additional competencies to the business that will help deliver greater value to its clients. The firm also hopes to expand its financial services wing substantially, looking to add 3,000 roles to its Europe, Middle East, India and Africa headcount in that time.
