Simon Benjamin, recently-appointed managing associate for Synergy Group’s new Melbourne workplace, discusses the agency’s motivation for launching in Victoria and its preliminary authorities focus.
A former associate at Ernst & Younger, Benjamin joined Synergy in the midst of the yr to steer the growth of the Canberra-based consultancy’s latest workplace, which has already grown to a headcount of round 35 professionals.
Amongst them are fellow companions and former EY colleagues Mark Bainbridge and Dianne Sinclair, whereas Vijay Tampi joined the native partnership from KPMG late final yr. Collectively, Benjamin says, they create a broad set of capabilities.
Bainbridge for instance advises human companies and training shoppers alongside his vital work in defence, whereas Sinclair is a certified engineer centered on threat and compliance necessities of infrastructure along with authorities organisations. Tampi in the meantime is a former public servant with in depth federal authorities expertise, together with work with the division of defence.
As for Benjamin, he was EY’s efficiency enchancment follow lead previous to becoming a member of Synergy Group, and head of its portfolio & program administration crew earlier than that, spending near 20 years on the agency as a associate between Australia and China. He was additionally beforehand a associate at IBM Consulting, with a profession give attention to the general public sector as to human companies, transport, and telecommunications.
However by way of Synergy’s growth to Melbourne, Benjamin famous the agency’s 25-year monitor report as a authorities -focused consultancy with a big presence in Canberra; “The logic was to deliver a few of what has made us profitable working within the federal authorities to the Victorian market, in order that’s the place we’re all focusing our power. We’re bringing the Synergy Group magic down right here.”
A few of Synergy Group’s crew members in Melbourne
Synergy growth
Proudly locally-owned, Synergy Group has made no secret of its ambition to beat the nationwide market, boldly stating its plans to turn into Australia’s primary consultancy inside a decade with a present headcount of greater than 400 consultants. First cease on that agenda; making inroads into the state authorities market, which requires at the very least a bit little bit of nuance and native data.
“Some issues are related between authorities shoppers throughout the nation, however after all there are dynamics which might be emphasised right here,” Benjamin stated in a wide-ranging in-house interview, citing infrastructure, well being, and training as native focal factors. “We’re a big economic system right here in Victoria, and the federal government has lately been specializing in vital social and financial reforms.”
Acknowledging that “quite a bit must be delivered by authorities in an more and more cost-constrained setting,” Benjamin additionally famous that Synergy will proceed to strengthen its crew as to the above-mentioned sectors along with defence, whereas digital shapes as one other near-future focus, with the agency wanting to usher in an skilled chief to develop its digital providing to Melbourne.
Level of distinction
Questioned on his motivation to affix the agency and its level of distinction in a crowded native market, Benjamin’s responses have been successfully the identical; Synergy remains to be of a dimension the place it’s straightforward sufficient to collaborate throughout follow areas on complicated issues as in comparison with bigger consultancies, whereas nonetheless having the required capabilities to confidently serve shoppers with out the current erosion of belief.
“I’d determined that I needed to stay a guide however to do it in a special setting, and I favored the truth that Synergy has robust capabilities however remains to be agile and entrepreneurial. The exterior setting of consulting has modified a lot up to now twelve months, and I felt that Synergy was rather well positioned to be one of many winners of that change, and I really feel that much more now.”
Earlier this yr, Synergy Group was named Australia’s high public sector consulting agency.
