A future-focused strategy after the merger

The Dutch accountancy and advisory market is changing at speed. Partly under the influence of private-equity investment, a wave of consolidation is underway. More fundamentally still, AI has the potential to change the accountancy profession fundamentally. After the merger of ABAB and Alfa, it was crucial for the new aaff to develop a shared strategy. The organisation needed an inspiring and directional strategy that would create calm, offer perspective and firmly position the new organisation. Jester Strategy was asked to guide this process and develop a future-oriented course together with aaff, not as a traditional advisory trajectory, but as an intensive co-creation in which the whole organisation was taken along.

Jester Strategy designed and facilitated a complete strategy process in which the board, top management and staff were taken along step by step. During strategy days at external locations, Jester worked with the full top management (25+ participants) through interactive, energetic formats that stimulated new insights and deepened the dialogue. The set-up of these sessions using creative, interactive formats was typical of Jester's approach and produced breakthroughs in thinking.

Alongside this, Jester organised many thematic sessions in smaller "working groups" with staff, in which substantive questions were explored in more depth. These contributions were fed back into the strategy process, so that insights from all layers of the organisation could be included directly.

With thorough analyses on themes such as trends, market consolidation, competition, the own portfolio, market developments and client segmentation, Jester brought the internal and external context into sharp focus. Scenarios were also developed that challenged the board and top managers to think about possible future realities. Jester then worked out several strategic routes that made aaff's possible future positioning concrete. This helped the organisation make well-considered choices on objective and distinctiveness in a rapidly changing market.

Unique to the approach was that Jester did not only develop the strategy, but at the same time set up the execution structure. Think of the steering model, the distinction between run and change, and the rhythm of strategic meetings. This meant the strategy could be rolled out as soon as it was ready, without delay.

Jester actively thought along about translating the strategy to the organisation. This resulted in a clear communication strategy, including a strategy video and regional gatherings in which staff were taken through the new direction concretely. The communication approach made sure the strategy was not only understood, but also experienced. The story came to life inside the organisation.

The collaboration resulted in an agile, inspiring strategy with broad support. aaff now has a directional strategy and a clear execution mechanism that has been activated straight away. The new strategy positions aaff as an organisation that is future-oriented and ready for sustainable growth in a sector in continuous motion.