Accenture – C-suite transformation is a business imperative

If companies are to confront today’s challenges, they must develop the C-suite to execute bold strategies – how Accenture, YSC Consulting can help

Never has there been a time so ripe for business transformation.

In the post-pandemic era, amid rising inflation, disrupted supply chains, and geopolitical uncertainty – customer and employee priorities are shifting, the future of work is transitioning, digitalisation is accelerating, and ESG is pushing its way to the top of the business agenda.

Why the C-suite is no longer fit for purpose

Delivering growth in such uncertain, disruptive, and rapidly changing times requires companies to take a hard look at the structure and operations of the C-suite and Board. To ask themselves – does the makeup of the C-suite fit today’s shifting business imperatives? Do leadership strategies align with business goals?

The truth is that the traditional C-suite no longer suits post-pandemic demands. More and more companies are looking to transform the leadership team, with CEO priorities including streamlining decision-making, creating new roles for changing market demands, and developing more horizontal responsibilities, according to research from consulting firm EY.

Companies are expanding or reshaping existing roles to address key challenges, as well as growing the C-suite with new specialist executives to tackle emerging realities – think Chief Sustainability Officer, Chief Diversity Officer and Chief People Officer, roles that are all rising in numbers.

Accenture’s global CEO-led Workforce Transformation Lead, John-Paul Pape, says that for leaders to confront today’s market challenges, they must develop themselves and their people to be able to execute courageous strategies.

Accenture acquires YSC Consulting – to enhance C-suite transformation

Which is why Accenture is strengthening its leadership consulting capabilities with the acquisition of YSC Consulting – an advisory and leadership firm that re-energises organisations with new leadership and talent strategies, all fuelled by data and insights.

With a proven track record over 30 years in helping organisations to define their leadership strategies and assess and develop their C-suite and senior executive teams, UK-headquartered YSC Consulting has “supported and inspired CEOs and their teams around the world to shape the future through intentional design of thoughtful approaches to leadership”, says YSC Consulting’s CEO Eric Pliner.

With the latest acquisition, Accenture is even better placed to advise the CEO, C-suite, and Board with bespoke solutions to boost performance and build leadership teams for the future – with greater expertise in C-suite assessment, team dynamics and effectiveness, DEI strategy, CEO succession planning, board effectiveness and technology-enabled talent analytics.

In particular, the acquisition expands Accenture’s deep industry expertise for private equity clients thanks to YSC Consulting’s servicing of 45% of the FTSE 100 and more than 40% of the largest private equity firms globally with services tailored to private equity funds and their portfolio companies.

John-Paul Pape

Accenture’s Talent & Organisation team – built for the future of work

The consultancy’s 200-strong team, spanning the UK, North America, Singapore, Australia, Mexico, China, and South Africa, will join Accenture’s Talent & Organisation / Human Potential team, which is led by Christie Smith.

Accenture’s Talent & Organisation team has expanded rapidly over the last two years with a number of key acquisitions as it looks to expand its existing C-suite offerings and create new ways to help clients build strategies for the future of work.

These recent acquisitions in C-suite offerings, among them Cirrus, fable+, Future State, Root Inc. and Kates Kesler, expands Accenture’s capabilities to help clients in their business transformation journeys and means Accenture can “deliver leadership and talent development programs to serve [clients] at a greater pace and scale”, says Christie.

  • Root Inc This 30-year-old UK-headquartered consultancy, which helps Global 2000 organisations activate strategies and transform cultures, strengthens Accenture’s organisational change management capabilities with multiple new experiential and digital assets designed to engage people intellectually and emotionally and do so rapidly and at scale.
  • Cirrus With 70 experts in the UK and Australia serving global clients, and a proven track record of delivering business impact through bespoke leadership and team development solutions, Cirrus blends leadership, talent, and engagement expertise to assess and develop leaders.
  • Future State For more highly specialised expertise focused on agile business transformation, Accenture acquired US-headquartered B Corp Future State, a 40-year-old cutting-edge change management consulting firm that makes ideas and innovation real for clients in the life sciences, CPG and tech industries via expert planning, intuitive communication, team coaching, and empathy.  
  • Kates Kesler Combining recognised experts and leading methodology, Kates Kesler is a New York-headquartered organisation design consultancy that has been named one of Forbes’ ‘Best Management Consulting Firms four years in a row. This expands Accenture’s C-suite offerings across solutions including digital core, leadership and culture, work and workforce, organisation, business agility and intelligent operating model.

With the strengthening of its Talent & Organisation / Human Potential team, Accenture can now more expertly and confidently “empower business leaders to re-invent the way they lead and shape a successful future for their organisations, customers, employees, communities, and the world,” says Pape. 

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