PwC agrees deal for supply chain expert Olivehorse

Coventry based consultancy Olivehorse has been purchased by PwC. The Big Four firm hopes the supply chain consultancy will help it meet growing demand resulting from increasing supply chain disruption.

The rapid spread of the coronavirus in 2020 prompted shutdowns of industries around the world. As lockdowns have lifted, demand has rocketed – leaving supply chains disrupted during the global health crisis facing huge challenges and struggling to bounce back.

As companies throughout business ecosystems look to adapt to the situation, demand for supply chain consultants to help them is spiking. As the Big Four firm looks to fulfil the changing needs of its clients to this end, PwC has announced it has agreed a deal to acquire Olivehorse.

Founded in 2012, Olivehorse is a consultancy headquartered in Coventry, which specialises in supply chain management technology. Olivehorse provides end-to-end supply chain planning and management solutions to clients across SAP, Anaplan and Kinaxis. The consultancy is also one of only a few independent firms to be an SAP Gold Partner, or hold supply chain management recognised expertise accreditations. 

Alistair Kett, Consulting Supply Chain and Operations Leader at PwC, noted, “By combining our capabilities, people, networks and credentials, we are reflecting, in very real terms, our ambition to invest and grow quickly in this market. The challenges facing the UK and Global economies in the field of supply, scarcity and disruption will all need innovative and technology enabled solutions and our new joint team is very well positioned to deliver these.”

The deal is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022, for an undisclosed fee, and will bring a further 60 members of staff into PwC’s supply chain practice. From the other side, meanwhile, Olivehorse hopes the move will help it scale, to access new opportunities around the world, due to PwC’s international reach.

Speaking on the news, Fred Akuffo, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Olivehorse, added, “This deal represents the next step in the growth of Olivehorse as we join PwC and provides us with the ability to make an even bigger market impact. For our people, we are gaining access to a global brand and established digital tools and alliances which will further the value we can bring to our clients going forward. We look forward to this.”