Accenture buys Chicago-based HRC Retail Advisory
Accenture has acquired HRC Retail Advisory, a Chicago-based provider of management consulting services to the retail industry.
Created in 2002 by the merger of boutique firms Senn-Delaney Retail Consultants and Karabus Management, HRC helps retail clients tackle challenges across omnichannel, customer-centric merchandising, and evolving store footprints. The firm’s more than 30 employees have supported large retailers across North America with business transformations that improve profit margins and working capital while meeting customer and investor expectations.
HRC’s consulting offerings include margin and inventory optimization, procurement, supply chain transformation, store and field operations, and omnichannel operations advisory.
Accenture’s acquisition of HRC will reinforce its retail strategy group – which has extensive global capabilities across retail digital and IT transformation, retail supply chains, and advising on the store and workforce of the future.
“With new consumer habits that formed in the last year enduring into the foreseeable future, retailers need to be able to think fast and make decisions with insight,” said Jill Standish, Accenture senior managing director and global retail industry group lead. “The addition of HRC Retail Advisory will further strengthen our retail strategy and consulting services, which combine deep industry expertise, advanced analytics capabilities, and human-centered approaches to enable 360° value creation for our clients.”
Two of the consumer habits expected to linger beyond the pandemic are an increase in online shopping and a preference for home-related products and activities.
“Joining Accenture will give our clients access to a global set of retail strategy and performance improvement solutions to help navigate ongoing disruption,” said Antony Karabus and Farla Efros, CEO and president, HRC Retail Advisory, respectively. “We have a shared vision for helping retailers adapt their business models to meet expanding customer demands, strengthen balance sheets, modernize infrastructures, and scale their digital capabilities effectively.”
Accenture has specialized expertise and capabilities across more than 40 industries.
The Dublin-headquartered firm earlier this year acquired Imaginea, a Silicon Valley cloud consultancy, and Future State, an Oakland-based provider of change management and business transformation consulting services.