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Sia Partners: Driving business changes

Through unparalleled industry expertise, global management consultants Sia Partners delivers superior value and tangible results for its vast clientele

As leading global management consultants, Sia Partners has teams of experts in the GCC, devoted to offering first-class and innovative solutions to a slew of firms. Talking exclusively to Khaleej Times in Dubai, Pierre-Louis Brenac, Managing Partner & Head of Middle East at Sia Partners noted that the company believes in raising efficiency and performance levels of its clients to international standards of excellence.
"We are a French firm that started operations in 1999. Delivering superior value and tangible results to its clients, Sia Partners is broadly into management consulting, which encompasses both strategy and operational support or advisory to very large corporations including blue-chip companies. We work closely with the CEOs and top hierarchy in trying to align their work and vision with the changing strategies of their businesses," Brenac said.
For clients wanting to enter a new market or territory, Sia Partners facilitates new regulations (e.g., in sectors that are subject to heavy regulatory instructions viz banking, insurance, energy) and helps them prepare new strategies or implement those strategies. "This requires us to spend time with the entire hierarchy from top to bottom - at all levels to achieve either the same business with less resources or to launch into new profitable activities," the Managing Partner added.
As a group Sia Partners has more than 600 consultants around the world. Headquartered in France, the company works closely with behemoths such as Engie (formerly known as GDF Suez), which operates in the fields of electricity generation, distribution, natural gas; and Électricité de France (EDF), a French major in electric utility with a diverse portfolio. In the Middle East, Sia Partners has excellent business development work in Saudi Arabia, especially with firms dealing with electricity and water-desalination. It has recently established its base in Qatar as well, and is also keen to tap the market in Oman.
In the UAE, the company is already active in a host of areas - from financial services on one end of the spectrum to oil and gas on the other. "Our presence in Dubai and Abu Dhabi has been largely because of these two vital sectors. Notwithstanding the fluctuating oil prices, it is important that banks and other key institutions in the country continue to have great performance with excellent internal management reporting. The market context will always evolve and that is where Sia Partners plays a role," Brenac said.
"Since the beginning, we have been active in energy and financial sectors in the region. We have experience of working with companies consuming oil or gas in Europe, so it is only natural that we are now working with firms that are extracting hydrocarbons (in this region). It is the other end of the value chain. This has more or less been the case in sectors like electricity and water where we bring value addition and expertise," he adds.
A strong proponent of out-of-box thinking when it comes to providing services, the company believes that it can differentiate its services from the typical American-Anglo-Saxon consultants. "We endeavour to bring something different to the table. Our clients have liked our work since we offer a very different approach to their problems. In some of the key areas like training and coaching managers and engineers, our services have been much appreciated. We have been successful in explaining to company managements how to be more autonomous and independent in future."
With strong roots in Europe and a fairly established presence in Middle East, Sia Partners has expanded to the US and Asia too. Currently, the company is growing fast in Asia-Pacific (Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo). Catering to areas like market banking and investment banking in these geographies, Sia Partners continues to elevate management excellence wherever it operates. 
sadiq@khaleejtimes.com