Azure hires Boston boss
Azure Consulting has fuelled the frenetic action in Perth's advisory sector with a high-profile hiring as part of a new round of appointments supporting its fast-growing boutique management consultancy.
Angus Jaffray, the founder and former head of Boston Consulting Group's Perth office, joined Azure Consulting last week as its fourth director.
The appointment coincides with news EY has expanded its local advisory team with the two co-founders of resources-focused Oyster Consulting, James Chapman and Dean Felton.
Having left BCG at Easter in pursuit of a change after 13 years, Mr Jaffray expected to emerge after a break with a role perhaps at a local mining-related company.
Instead, he was persuaded to remain in management consulting with Azure Consulting, broadening an already experienced leadership team whose CVs also include the world's biggest names in the sector.
"It fits, it's entrepreneurial and it looked like a very good place to work," Mr Jaffray said of Azure, adding its culture of collaboration was also a major factor in his decision.
Azure Consulting, founded by Robert Radley and Mark Bosnich in just January, has experienced remarkably sharp growth and will soon have 17 staff once three other new appointments begin.
It has emerged as a niche provider to sub-$5 billion companies, helping service what it sees as a gap in the market with quality advice at a lower price and without the overheads of the majors.
"You look at the market for consulting globally and there's not much left in the middle," Mr Jaffray said.
"Big firms are growing bigger and focusing on bigger clients and large complex problems.
"But here in Perth and across Australia, there a lot of companies outside of the top-50 working on issues.
"They're good companies, often growth companies with similar challenges but on a smaller scale."
Mr Radley, a founding partner of Bain & Co's Perth practice and a former head of PwC's local advisory practice, said his firm had noticed an inordinate demand for strategic advice. While the demand covered a cross-section of clients, it was particularly strong from mining service companies seeking to diversify.
"A year ago, a large proportion of management consultancy was about cost-cutting," Mr Jaffray said. "The Perth environment is changed and the global environment is going through a period of volatility, so companies are now thinking about how they're going to compete."
Mr Radley said Azure Consulting was looking at establishing a presence on the east coast in as early as a matter of weeks.
EY Oceania advisory leader Bill Farrell said Mr Chapman and Mr Felton brought an "in-depth knowledge of the resources sector both here and internationally" to the firm.
Before Oyster Consulting, Mr Felton managed the business analysis function at Rio Tinto Iron Ore. Mr Chapman's background included roles with Rio Tinto and Normandy.
