Booz, AT Kearney merger talks crumble
MANAGEMENT consultancy firms Booz & Company and AT Kearney have called time on discussions over a merger, a move that would have created the world’s third-largest powerhouse in global consulting.
Booz and AT Kearney said in a statement that their “future aspirations will be best realised as separate partnerships”, after it emerged last month that they were in talks over a potential tie-up.
If the merger had gone ahead, the combined firm would have ranked higher in stature than all of its rivals save giants McKinsey and the Boston Consulting Group.
Booz was founded by Edwin Booz in 1914. It now has more than 3,300 people in 61 offices around the world. In 2008, private equity firm Carlyle Group bought the firm’s US government consulting business, which retained the name Booz Allen Hamilton, for $2.54bn. The remainder of the business was renamed Booz & Company.
AT Kearney, which traces its roots back to 1926, has offices in major business centres in 36 countries. The group was bought out by its partners in 2006 from its previous owner, the technology firm EDS.