AMSTERDAM: Sia, a next-generation global consulting group, has acquired Precedence, a Netherlands-based consultancy specializing in AI-driven transformation, in a move that strengthens its presence in the Benelux region and accelerates its European growth strategy.
The acquisition follows a strategic minority investment of up to €250 million by Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager, in 2024. It marks Sia’s second major acquisition in 2025, after acquiring UK-based branding and innovation agency The Upside in March.
Founded over 15 years ago, Precedence employs 50 consultants and generated €8.4 million in revenue in FY24. The firm focuses on four core areas: Process Consulting, Technology Consulting, Data & AI, and People Change. With a strong track record in AI literacy and organizational design, Precedence serves clients across Telecom & Tech, Life Sciences, and Automotive sectors.
“This acquisition is part of the acceleration of our external growth strategy, in line with the support provided by Blackstone in recent months,” said Matthieu Courtecuisse, CEO of Sia. “We aim to establish Sia as a leading player in data and AI, and we found in the Precedence teams that same conviction: that innovation is a powerful driver of meaningful change.”
The deal brings Sia’s headcount in the Netherlands to 100 consultants and 200 across the Benelux region. It also positions the firm for organic expansion into Germany and the Nordic countries, leveraging Precedence’s regional network.
Jean Trzcinski, Sia’s Managing Partner for the Benelux region, emphasized the strategic importance of the Dutch market. “By integrating Precedence, we will build deeper board-level intimacy with our clients, helping them tackle complex transformations with even greater agility and trust,” he said.
Precedence co-founders Roy Goverde and Mark Cloesmeijer will join Sia as Partners. The firm will gradually integrate its brand into Sia’s global ecosystem following a transition period.
“We built Precedence on the firm belief that a successful transformation can only happen when processes, data, AI, people, and technology are perfectly aligned,” said Goverde and Cloesmeijer in a joint statement. “We found these same core principles at Sia, along with their world-class expertise in AI.”
With this acquisition, Sia now counts 400 data and AI experts among its 3,000 consultants operating in 48 locations across 19 countries.