British IT consultancy Waterstons expands into Australia

British business IT consultancy Waterstons has entered Australia’s consulting market with the opening of offices in Perth and Sydney.

The new offices are Waterstons’ first outside of the United Kingdom, where the consultancy is based in Durham, a city south of Newcastle upon Tyne. The professional services firm was founded in 1994 and has around 180 employees specialised in digital consultancy, technology services and managed support.

The move to launch an on the ground operation in Australia follows a growing client base in the country, explained Charlie Hales, managing director of Waterstons in Australia. “We already work with a number of clients in both Sydney and Perth. We are now excited to build on these strong partnerships and connect with new businesses.” 

The move comes on the back of a record financial year for Waterstons, with the international expansion a key pillar of the strategy to continue growth. Alistair McLeod, director at Waterstons, said that he is proud of the firm’s development and said, “We have a clear roadmap for the business and we are all looking forward to the 12 months ahead.” 

To set up the new office, Hales will relocate from the United Kingdom to Sydney in January, and will be supported by an initial team of three – senior consultant Chris Pallister and consultants Jake Howse and Philip Moon. In the coming months, Hales will hire a number of graduates as part of a recruitment drive.

The new hubs will support clients with technology consultancy and implementation, digital transformation, cyber security and software development. The offices will also provide 24/7 IT managed services to existing clients. Companies Waterstons serves include the likes of Intersnack, Grainger, the NHS, Shell, Vopak, and over a dozen of universities.

“Our partnership approach to supporting clients, combined with a proactive culture and strong core values resonates with Australian businesses. I can’t wait to get the new Australia business up and running,” remarked Hales.

Australia’s growing consulting industry is proving an attractive market for international players. Earlier this year, Netherlands-based sustainability consultancy Sustainalize entered the country, while last year Asian strategic consultancy also made a foray into the Australian market.