London-based financial markets consultancy Catalyst Development has announced its merger with global financial services specialist Sionic Advisors.
The deal is set to create a consulting firm with a combined revenue of over $60 million and more than 300 staff across North America, Europe and Asia, including an offshore base in Jersey.
The merger follows Catalyst’s acquisition of asset and wealth management firm Knadel in February 2018, which included the Jersey offshore team and was backed by mid-market private equity firm Livingbridge.
Catalyst specialises in regulatory-driven change, organisational improvement and talent development programmes for financial markets firms. Sionic Advisors delivers change, optimisation and strategic initiatives to a wide range of financial services institutions.
According to Catalyst, global spend on financial services consulting in 2018 was $38bn, up from $17bn in 2008, with an 8%-10% compound annual growth rate. More than 70% of that spend relates to technology, operations, risk and regulatory compliance and change in banking, capital markets and insurance in North America, Europe and Asia – which are the combined firms’ areas of expertise.
The Catalyst Jersey team includes more than 25 staff, advising clients on operational and systems strategy. In the past three years, they have worked with some 50 businesses in more than 15 jurisdictions.
Catalyst Jersey Managing Partner Stuart Richford commented: “Catalyst Jersey already works internationally with banks, wealth mangers and corporate administrators. This merger with Sionic provides a major boost to our business, further expanding our strategic advisory capability and providing a much greater presence in key jurisdictions, including Switzerland, Singapore and the US.”