March 2018
Equiteq, the knowledge economy M&A specialist, is pleased to announce that it has advised c3/consulting, Nashville’s leading management consulting firm, on its sale to Ankura, a Washington, DC-based business advisory and expert services firm. The transaction is anticipated to close by the end of the month.
Founded in 2005 by Beth R. Chase, c3/consulting has become a leading management consulting firm and one of the 10 largest women-owned businesses in Middle Tennessee. The firm has helped deliver and accelerate transformational change within Fortune 500 and private equity-backed growth companies across a range of industries, including healthcare, financial services, banking, insurance, technology, and corporate services. Along the way, c3 and its employees have received prestigious accolades for excellence in workplace culture, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and more. The acquisition enhances Ankura’s strategy and operational consulting capabilities and enables c3 to expand its reach across the country. c3’s 118 professionals will integrate into Ankura, creating a firm with over 575 professionals and 14 offices located throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Ankura’s CEO, Roger Carlile, comments, “We are excited to have Beth, her leadership team and the entire c3 family join Ankura’s expanding roster of world-class professionals. Bringing this group of experienced change catalysts together with our experts expands Ankura’s ability to deliver impactful, innovative and customized solutions to our collective client base. Equally important to us and our clients is the cultural fit – both firms share a collaborative, client-focused, and people-centric culture. The combination of c3 and Ankura is another important step in our journey to build a unique business advisory firm defined by how we solve challenges that enable, optimize, protect and sustain value for our clients.” Beth Chase, c3’s Founder and CEO, added, “We started c3 over 12 years ago with the simple idea of creating a consulting firm dedicated to the people who make change happen. To think that the idea, originally brought to life in my living room, is today becoming part of a national consulting platform is humbling. I stand amazed by the collaborative contribution of our entire team in building this firm, from our special culture to the extraordinary service we provide to clients across the country. Joining Ankura will allow us to provide even greater opportunities for our team and increased value to our clients as part of a broader national platform, while we continue to be actively involved in the Nashville community.” Nicodemo Esposito, Managing Director of Equiteq’s North America practice, commented, “Beth Chase and the c3 team have built an extraordinary business with an impressive roster of blue chip clients, best-in-class capabilities, and a great culture. We thoroughly enjoyed working with management and congratulate the entire c3 team on this exciting milestone. Ankura clearly demonstrated their understanding of that which c3 has built and the Ankura team differentiated themselves as the partner best positioned to help c3 maximize its future potential.” Regarding Equiteq’s role in the transaction, Beth Chase said, “As a management consulting firm, we understand the benefit of working with people who have expertise and proven methodologies that deliver results. It is also incredibly important to us that we partner with people we like and trust. Equiteq delivered on both fronts and were essential in helping us navigate this important inflection point for our organization.” To see all of our deals, please click here. ©Equiteq 2018