Andersen Consulting, the world`s largest management and technology consulting organisation, has reported record revenues of $6,6 billion for the 1997 calendar year, a 25% increase over 1996. This is the fourth consecutive year that the firm`s growth has exceeded 20%. Exceptional growth rates were achieved in certain of the firm`s industry segments, notably electronics/high tech, (45% to $532m), insurance (56% to $528m), and energy (68% to $435m). The firm also showed strong growth across all geographic areas in which it operates: the Americas (29% to $3,75 billion), Europe/Middle East/Africa/India (23% to $2,31 billion) and Asia/Pacific (16% to $588m). The growth of Andersen Consulting when measured in local currencies was even stronger. Removing the impact of the US dollar on international exchange rates, the firm grew 29% globally, 29% in the Americas, 31% in Europe/Middle East/Africa/India, and 24% in Asia/Pacific. George Shaheen, world-wide managing partner and CEO of Andersen Consulting, said that the firm had succeeded in 1997 and would continue to thrive in 1998 because it had sensed clients` needs and responded to them, while responding also to the dynamics of the marketplace. Ian Armstrong, managing partner in South Africa, said that strong growth areas locally had been experienced in retail, natural resources and financial services. Andersen Consulting works with three out of four Fortune 100 global companies and 44 out of 50 of Fortune magazine`s most profitable companies. "When Andersen Consulting was formed in 1989, the firm was a consulting organisation with a staff of 21 000 people and was specially renowned for its technology skills," adds Mr Shaheen. "In response to client demand, Andersen Consulting has blossomed into a global full-service consulting and outsourcing firm with 53 000 people applying a wide range of management strategy, change management, process design and technology expertise in 47 countries. "The firm has also been changing the mind-set of our people to focus more on delivering bottom-line results for our clients, not simply on-time, on-budget project delivery. This focus on delivering value is paying off for clients. For example, Andersen Consulting helped the London Stock Exchange reduce operating costs by 40% by re-designing the exchange`s work processes and technologies." Ian Armstrong said that Andersen Consulting`s ability to build and adapt its services for a changing market would continue to fuel its success. For example, the firm`s outsourcing service for Business Process Management, which grew by 58% in the year and which was developed in the USA, now generates nearly $1 billion in revenues because it meets a market demand for a different type of outsourcing service focusing on relationships, service and capability as well as cost management. Regardless of how the market changes, we expect more and more companies to turn to Andersen Consulting to help bring about far-reaching change which links the entire enterprise - people, processes, technology and business strategy in line with our business integration strategy. In South Africa, Andersen Consulting has partnered with Eskom in a number of business integration initiatives. These include a financial and commercial management business solution, the implementation of SAP and a number of initiatives within the distribution business to support Eskom`s customer care programme. "We strive to be a firm whose clients have access to our best thinking and skills regardless of their location. For example, the Andersen Consulting team serving our Danish client, the mortgage bank BRFkredit, consisted of professionals drawn from Scandinavia, Britain, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, South Africa and the United States who combined the firm`s best thinking in financial services, management strategy, change management, process re-design and technology innovation. "Our multi-skilled consultants, able to draw on the experience and knowledge capital of the 47 countries in which Andersen Consulting operates, will ensure that this organisation continues to enjoy a leadership position in the market," concluded Mr Armstrong.
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