Slalom Consulting launches Canadian expansion with Toronto office
Seattle-based professional services firm Slalom Consulting recently expanded into Canada with the opening of an office in Toronto, its 22nd hub globally.
With nearly 4,000 consultants and revenue of more than $550 million, Slalom Consulting is one of the larger management and technology consultancies in North America. The advisory firm, founded in 2001 in Seattle, spent its first 13 years building the business in the US – growing annual revenue to $480 million in 2014. In the summer of 2014 the consultancy went international, opening an office in London. The London operation, headed by Alex Qatsha – formerly of Unisys, Accenture, and Deloitte – has enjoyed a growing track record for success with UK and European clients.
In January, the consultancy expanded into its second non-US market, opening a new office in Canada’s most populous city. Slalom's recently opened Canadian office is located in downtown Toronto and is led by Wayne Ingram, who joined the firm in the summer of 2015. As office head, Ingram is responsible for managing the setup and growth of Slalom’s Canadian operation. Prior to joining the firm in 2015, Ingram worked at Accenture for 25+ years, reaching the rank of Managing Director. During his long tenure at Accenture, Ingram held multiple other leadership roles in the firm’s North American and European offices, including Global Managing Director for Enterprise Architecture and Application Strategy, and head of Accenture Canada’s Technology Practice.
Over the past months, Slalom Consulting has seen its team in Toronto increase in size, driven by a rapidly expanding Canadian client base. The Canadian office currently consists of a team of around 60 consultants and expects to grow further in the second half of 2016, in step with the launch of new projects.
When asked how the firm is able to stand out from the consulting crowd in Canada, Ingram responded, “In a global market where innovation is increasingly important to keep and stay ahead of the competition, Canadian companies need to quickly develop solutions and bring them to market. Slalom helps clients accelerate this process with an agile approach to problem solving and a proven ability to innovate and execute.”
The consultancy can – according to Ingram – particularly leverage its business and technology experience in the US, building on the foundation of award-winning partnerships with solution providers like Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Tableau.
Looking further ahead, Slalom has set its sights on further penetration into Canada, highlighting Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa and Montreal as potential targets for future expansion.
“Slalom has the agility, energy, and culture of a start-up combined with the resources, reach, and scale of a global company, allowing us to think big, act fast, and see results,” commented Ingram. “I believe it is critical to drive innovation here in Canada. I know what we are capable of and that is why I am passionate about the freedom Slalom gives to its employees and brings to its clients to not only solve a problem, but implement the solution.”
