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Global consulting and accountancy firm KPMG has acquired Relken Engineering, a young firm with substantial expertise in civil and defence projects.
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Relken started up three years ago out of the garages of founders Andrew O’Connor and Ben Mailler, and rapidly developed a profession-leading capability in asset management and analytics.
Announcing the acquisition, KPMG said from capital investment strategies to predictive analytics on critical equipment, Relken Engineering helped clients increase the productivity of physical assets and infrastructure, and reduce total cost of ownership.
Its team of 41 specialists have now joined KPMG, expanding the firm’s asset management and engineering advisory practice to more than 300 professionals nationally.
“We’re delighted to welcome Relken’s dynamic team to KPMG. Relken gives us greater scale and diversification in asset management and engineering advisory,” said KPMG Australia chief executive Gary Wingrove.
“It deepens our defence engineering capabilities and broadens our expertise into power and water, rail and energy and natural resources. It complements other engineering capabilities acquired over last three years, namely mining services group Momentum Partners, and SGA property and environmental consultancy.”
KPMG said Relken’s innovative approach to data-informed decision-making had produced an expanding portfolio of clients, spanning the maritime, aviation, land, communication, nuclear, water and power industries.
In the defence space, Relken has consulted for Austal, ASC, the Navy and KPMG itself on its programs for the Army. It has even done work for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Now a KPMG partner, O’Connor said they combined strategic asset management expertise with modelling and predictive analytics to help clients make informed decisions for their assets now and into the future.
“With every job we must turn engineering and data analysis into a ‘wow factor’ for clients – realising how their assets are performing and the range of options available to save costs and improve performance,” he said.
“We’re incredibly excited about joining KPMG. Not only will our analytics further evolve by tapping into the firm’s AI and emerging technology expertise, but our certified asset management assessors will plug right into KPMG’s already mature systems engineering, program management, and commercial and risk advisory to bring a ‘cradle to grave’ asset solution for clients.”
Relken will be part of the KPMG Management Consulting business, led by Ian Hancock.
“Last financial year we saw a $150 billion marketplace for new infrastructure in Australia, and we expect that will continue with large capital programs and smart cities key items on Australia’s productivity agenda,” Hancock said.
“KPMG is extremely well positioned as a large infrastructure and asset management advisory firm. While our anchor market in this space has been defence, this acquisition allows us to enter emerging markets such as water, power and transport.”
