C86 Acquires 50% Stake in LucSien Advisory Partners

UK-headquartered technology consultancy C86 has expanded its European presence by acquiring a 50% stake in Vienna-based LucSien Advisory Partners, bringing together technology consulting and management advisory capabilities.

The transaction combines C86’s expertise in artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and digital transformation with LucSien’s management consulting experience.

The deal strengthens C86’s presence in Europe while expanding the range of services available to clients through the combined businesses. LucSien, founded in 2019, is a boutique advisory firm that works with senior management teams across sectors including banking, insurance and industrial companies. Its work includes transformation programmes, cost-reduction initiatives and operating-model redesign.

C86 was built around technology transformation programmes and works with organisations on mission-critical applications, including AI-driven delivery, cybersecurity and digital transformation. Through the new partnership, the two firms aim to combine technology capabilities with senior-level business and management expertise.

The transaction also reflects the changing role of technology in consulting.

“From our first conversations, C86 and LucSien shared the same conviction: AI is rewriting the rules of consulting. AI can support analysis, but knowing what matters, making the right decisions and being accountable for the outcome still requires people who have done it before,” said Michael Fröhlich, CEO and Founder, LucSien Advisory Partners.

Fröhlich added that joining C86 will allow LucSien to expand internationally while retaining the senior-led expertise and culture that have shaped the advisory firm. The combined businesses currently operate across the UK, Europe and the US, with capabilities covering financial services, critical infrastructure and transport, the public sector and enterprise technology.

The firms also expect the transaction to support significant growth. According to the companies, combined revenues are expected to almost triple by the end of next year, while the combined business is targeting €250 million in revenue by 2027. The firms' clients include global financial services company CitCo and London Gatwick, the UK’s second-largest airport.

C86 CEO Rob Robinson said the investment will broaden the expertise available to customers while giving the combined business greater scale. He added that LucSien’s business consulting capabilities will expand C86’s ability to deliver services across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and digital transformation.

The partnership also brings together leadership and investment experience from both organisations. C86 Executive Chairman Adam Fawsitt, Investment Director Ben Doltis, and Non-Executive Director Andy Isherwood, formerly Managing Director at AWS EMEA and HP, are among the leaders supporting the combined business.

For the consulting industry, the transaction represents a combination of management consulting and technology-led transformation services. As organisations increasingly seek support for digital transformation and AI adoption, the partnership positions C86 and LucSien to address both the strategic and technical sides of these projects.

The acquisition gives C86 a stronger European platform while giving LucSien access to broader technology capabilities and international reach. With both companies continuing to operate across multiple markets, the partnership is expected to focus on expanding client services while maintaining the specialist and senior-led approach associated with the two firms.