Asia strategy firm Solidiance expands into Australia with office in Sydney

Asia-focused strategy and management firm Solidiance has continued with its intercontinental expansion drive with a new office officially launched in Australia.

Following the firm’s launch in Berlin in 2016, and a US locale unveiled in California last year, the new Solidiance office in Sydney is the firm’s third established in as many years outside of its direct pan-Asian focal ground ‘from Dubai to Shanghai.’ The latest additions follow earlier international moves into Lebanon in 2015 and the UAE the year prior.

The firm, however, remains a proudly Asian product, with the intent of the widening footprint foremost an effort to better support clients with their in-bound and out-bound Asia growth strategies – in areas such as market entry (having now performed over 880 cases), M&A due diligence, competitive benchmarking, distribution channels, and marketing.

“Australia has a strong consulting market to begin with but the most attractive angle for Solidiance is our unique capacity to support Australian companies to enter and grow in Asia,” the firm’s long-time CEO and managing partner Damien Duhamel said, noting the clear trend for heavy investment in Asian by Australian companies.

A statement from the firm further highlighted the stability of Australia’s domestic market growth, along with its clear legal environment and highly-skilled workforce. “We have ambitious plans in Australia to cater to the local market, the inbound FDI segment, and obviously to Australian companies expanding in Asia. We believe our M&A and Digital practices will drive our Australia business,” Duhamel said.

The new office will be led by Raul Heraud, who in addition to the new appointment serves as the firm’s Head of Financial Services, overseeing its Private Equity, M&A and Financial Institutions practices. With an MBA from Wharton, Heraud has over fifteen years of experience in strategic consulting and finance, with particular respect to emerging and frontier markets – having previously worked across South America and since gained project experience in China, Iran, the UAE and Korea. 

Operational since last year, and located in Martin Place in the living heart of Sydney’s business and finance district, Solidiance’s Australian office is the consulting firm’s 15th in total, after kicking off with outlets in Singapore and China in just 2006. A strong focus on emerging Southeast Asia has followed, with a bureau established in every key ASEAN hub since. Speaking previously, Duhamel said; “Our coverage of emerging Asia is very solid already and we intend to leverage that further.”