Sefiani launches change communications consultancy practice
Sydney-based communications consultancy Sefiani has ventured in the world of consulting with the launch of a change communications practice.
The move comes according to Robyn Sefiani, the founder and chief executive of Sefiani, in response to an immediate spike in demand for change communications services as a result of the corona-induced downturn.
The outbeak of the covid-19 pandemic has caused economic havoc globally, with Australia’s national gross domestic product expected to take a hit of more than $17 billion by the end of 2020 alone. The crisis is seeing companies and institutions of all sizes face a crash in demand, which in turn is sparking a wave of austerity measures as they scramble to stay afloat.
Sefiani works a number of leading organisations across the country, including professional services groups Arup (an engineering consultancy), Allen & Overy and HVG (law firms), EY and McGrathNicol (accounting and consulting firms).
Having helped its clients with crisis communications in the past weeks as covid-19’s impact unfolded, Sefiani now believes that the current outbreak could leave a larger mark than the global financial crisis of 2008. “We helped many companies through major change programmes during the financial crisis and we’re seeing history repeating itself now, but this time on an even broader and deeper scale.”
Getting crisis communications and change management right is paramount for the broader success of response and business continuity planning, and Sefiani said that while the firm has to date focuses on the prior, it is now receiving requests from clients to leverage its communications heritage to support broader change-related decision-making.
The new Change Communications practice is led by Sefiani herself, and two directors at the firm, Nick Owens and Sarah Craig. The wing offers “robust change communications strategy, planning and implementation to engage with employees, unions, shareholders, customers and suppliers, as well as government and regulators where appropriate.”
Sefiani was founded in 1999 and today has around 30 public relations and communication consultants. Through a network of affiliates the firm also offers its services in the major cities of Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.
The covid-19 crisis is sparking a wave of new offerings in the consulting domain. Strategy consultants McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group have for instance launched propositions to help their clients navigate the change and strategise for a better future, while boutique consultancies Pollen Consulting Group hasve launched a rapid response consultancy service focused on operations and a virtual consulting and training platform respectively.
