Attracting talent and staying close to customers

Eight Advisory Belgium advises private equity funds and large corporates on transactions (mergers and acquisitions), restructuring and transformation. The consulting firm stands out by staying specialised in these three solution-oriented areas of expertise. In addition, the partners are present in the field.

Being Surrounded by Talent

In 2018, Philippe Fimmers and his colleague Tom de Troyer left a Big Four firm to found Eight Advisory’s Belgian and Dutch operations. They went and found the best talent from the other Big Four firms. The team was made up of just a handful of colleagues at the outset and now counts 80 colleagues in Belgium. It is seeing annual growth ranging from 10 to 20%. The consulting firm built a market share thanks to the quality of its services and closeness to customers. It intends to consolidate its position to become the leader in its three areas of expertise.

External Recognition of Growth

“This Trends Gazelles nomination is heartwarming,” confides Philippe Fimmers, Managing Partner. “It is the first time that our growth has been recognised by a third party. It is the result of the commitment of the whole team, which has demonstrated its capacity to find customers in a competitive market.”

Priority on Data

Means of telecommunication are key for Eight Advisory Belgium. “Part of our work is done remotely via Teams, which has practically replaced the phone,” highlights Philippe Fimmers. “We also need access to electronic data rooms. So we need a faultless network providing sufficient capacity and seamless connectivity.”

“Orange Belgium, our telecommunications operator, plays a vital role by offering sufficiently large data subscriptions. Moreover, the Customer Zone is a dynamic and open platform that facilitates new employee onboarding.” As data is crucial, Eight Advisory Belgium has opted for Connected Mobile Extreme subscriptions with unlimited data.

Staying at the Cutting Edge of Technology

The consulting firm incorporates artificial intelligence in its areas of expertise. “We need to stay at the cutting edge of technology,” states Philippe Fimmers. “Even if a critical human eye continues to be essential to assess the risks of a situation, incorporating AI into our working methods is a growth vector and a clear trend for the future. Automating part of our day-to-day tasks helps us to focus more on interpreting analysis rather than the actual analysis. We have more time to think about solutions.”

The Recipe for Success?

“Attracting and retaining high-level talent, remaining open to technological changes, and staying close to customers. Good connectivity contributes to this closeness, as to be close to a customer, you need to be responsive when and where they want,” he concludes.