Merger of GEG Capital-Owned Consultancies & Acquisitions Creates 200+ Consultant Multi-Disciplinary Group as Portfolio Growth Journey Enters Next Phase
Following the recent high profile merger of GEG Capital group companies - Glasgow-based planning, design, environment, engineering and safety consultancy, Mabbett & Associates, and Grangemouth-based engineering and environmental consultancy, IKM Consulting - and the strategic investment in Bracewell Stirling Consulting - one of Scotland's longest-established architectural and design consultancies - the Inverness-based investment group’s consultancy portfolio growth strategy has come into sharp focus.
The recent M&A activity brings the headcount of consultants in the portfolio across the energy, built environment, rail & infrastructure, electricity & power and chemical and petrochemical sectors to over 200 in just five years, contributing £24m of turnover to the group at last count. Widening geographical growth and expanding into new sectors as the portfolio grows, GEG Capital Director, Jia MacKenzie, admits the group is:
“Pursuing the abundant opportunities in a growing sector. We believe that combining the considerable capabilities of Mabbett and IKM will be a catalyst for further growth for our consultancy portfolio as well as as being a force for environmental good in Scotland and across the U.K. The addition of Bracewell Stirling, which brings its own excellent culture, energy and sustainability credentials, will bring further opportunities for the whole group as we benefit from the synergies and strategic relationships with other companies in the portfolio.”
The merger of Mabbett and IKM as ‘Arthian’, creating one of Scotland’s largest multi-disciplinary consulting firms - with a team 200-strong across 19 offices across the UK, including new locations in London and Wales - was the first time GEG Capital has merged any of its group companies. And with plans to add 10% to the workforce in the next 12 months alone, it’s the next stage, not the final stage, in the combined entity’s growth journey.
Upon acquiring Mabbett in 2021, GEG Capital’s backing saw the company go on the acquisition trail adding respected consultancies - including GEP Environmental, Crestwood Environmental, and GH Johnston Building Consultants. Mabbett’s merger with IKM - which was acquired by GEG Capital in June 2023 - shows the vision for establishing Arthian as the premier mid-sized consultancy serving the UK and ROI markets is well on track, with the consultancy projecting turnover of £15m by March 2027.
GEG Capital’s June 2024 investment in multi-award-winning leading specialist consultancy, Bracewell Stirling Consulting, which offers design, master planning, 3D modelling, and sustainability services, was significant too, bolstering the group’s existing portfolio of planning, design, environment, and construction capabilities across Scotland and the wider UK.
The future
As the consultancy group gathers momentum and reach, Mackenzie admits that GEG Capital is likely to continue to grow the unit, organically and possibly through further acquisition in 2025 and beyond:
“As with each of the significant investments made to date, when we identify a company that shares our values and vision for Scotland and the UK and also shares our growth ambitions and wants to develop its people, it is always something we are going to look at. In the group our multi-disciplinary approach means we already have an impressive capability to provide innovative end-to-end solutions across a variety of vital sectors, but that’s always an evolving picture.
“But it’s not just about buying and bolting on new businesses. Since we started building the consultancy arm of the group five years ago we’ve learned that as a strategic partner to companies joining the portfolio, GEG Capital are able to add value by providing a range of key support services, including HR, marketing, IT, legal advice, accounting, insurance, and cost control that - along with the support of our management team - have proven to really help drive growth and identify opportunities.
“The recent merger of Mabbett and IKM, which was a first for GEG Capital, has also been an interesting process that is already paying dividends. The creation of one strong brand in the marketplace, of economies of scale, and indeed the benefits of being a larger fiscal entity able to bid for bigger contracts that individually the two companies would have had to decline previously, make it an exciting time for Arthian but also the wider consultancy group.