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Bolstering our design and innovation offering with Magnetic acquisition
International consulting firm Newton has welcomed innovation and design advisory Magnetic to its global network. While its professionals will now be part of Newton, Magnetic will continue to operate as a distinct brand.
Throughout more than 20 years in business, Newton has helped shape and deliver programmes across over 100 public sector organisations, multiple defence and infrastructure organisations, and leading retail and manufacturing supply chains. As the consultancy looks to boost its holistic services around business and organisational transformation, it has added more than 70 experts and design professionals to its team with a deal for Magnetic.
“We’re very excited about the new capabilities and capacity for design and innovation that Magnetic brings to Newton,” remarked managing partner with Newton, Steven Phillips. “Since our first meeting, it was apparent that our respective leadership teams and cultures have much in common,” Phillips continued. “The better we got to know each other, the more apparent it became that we are both motivated by similar things: curiosity and passion to unlock complexity, an optimism about the future and our ability to contribute towards it, and a determination to leave a meaningful impact with our clients, and within society.”
Magnetic was formed in 2021 via the merger of independent consultancies Fluxx and magneticNorth, and has since thrived by applying a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to create innovative, commercially successful products and services for multinationals, government entities and fast-growing start-ups. Priding itself on collaborative client engagement, Magnetic’s teams uncover customer insights that lead to the design of new products and services that address client problems.
Magnetic’s experts join Newton’s more-than 450 consultants across the UK, with both companies’ skills adding depth and breadth to their offerings to clients. Magnetic will continue to be run as a separate business beyond the transaction – and to operate under its existing name and branding – however, both companies will explore opportunities to boost the impact they deliver to clients through partnership.
The two companies make a good fit, with Newton and Magnetic having previously worked in partnership for several large clients, also collaborating on the steering groups of various joint projects. Accordingly, they were aware of their similarities in working style and shared beliefs. The acquisition is a natural next step that builds on common aspirations and a shared experience of delivering exceptional client value.
Speaking on what the future holds, Jenny Burns, CEO of Magnetic, added, “We believe in the power of design to accelerate progress and create positive, sustainable impact. In Newton, we’ve found kindred spirits with strongly complementary skills that will combine to deliver a more holistic approach for more impactful outcomes. We were convinced that we’d found the right fit with Newton when it became apparent that both companies shared so many similarities – high growth rates, big ambitions to create positive change at scale, and cultures underpinned by strong values.”