Deloitte’s indigenous consulting business relaunches as Yamagigu
After taking a minority stake in the business last month, Deloitte has relaunched PwC’s Indigenous Consulting as Yamagigu, with co-founder Gavin Brown continuing on as chief executive officer.
A Wiradjuri man from central New South Wales, Brown jointly established the advisory in 2013, and will oversee a team of more than 60 professionals in what is described as the country’s largest First Nations consulting business.
Yamagigu will operate separately to Deloitte with its own board and independent chair while benefiting from the Big Four firm’s services and infrastructure. Deloitte will fold its existing indigenous consulting practice into the business.
“Yamagigu brings together market-leading Indigenous advisory expertise and Deloitte’s deep professional services capabilities,” said Deloitte chief Adam Powick. “We’re really excited to be entering into this new venture as they continue to effect meaningful change to create greater prosperity and well-being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait peoples, organisations and communities.”
Having completed in excess of 1,300 projects across more than 800 communities Australia-wide since its inception, the majority-Indigenous owned and managed business will continue to focus on providing expertise to government, private sector and community-based clients in designing and delivering policies, programs, and services to improve First Nations outcomes.
Deloitte’s 49 percent stake in the business sees the company’s name feature in the logo tagline – “Yamagigu, Together with Deloitte” – while the consultancy derives its new moniker from a Wiradyuri word translating to “our purpose is to go with you”, which the parties say encapsulates the spirit of their partnership and shared journey and was developed with the support of Wiradyuri Elders.
“This is an exciting new chapter for our business and one that will allow us to grow our impact while continuing to support the self-determination of First Nations communities,” Brown said upon Deloitte’s purchase, which was effectively forced due to PwC’s exit from public sector consulting in the wake of its government tax scandal, with the segment accounting for the bulk of revenues.
Joining Brown on the Yamagigu leadership team are ex-Deloitte partner and Bundjalung and Yorta Yorta man Joe Hedger – who also previously led Ernst & Young’s local indigenous consulting practice – alongside chief operating and financial officer Chris McKendrick, and former PwC’s Indigenous Consulting leaders Kate Healy, Roanna Edwards and Jay Edmondson as partners.
