Mazars South Africa, a member of Accelerate Cape Town, recently launched an exciting joint venture with Dutch consulting firm Berenschot. Operating as Mazars Berenschot South Africa (MBSA), the new firm brings extensive additional specialised international management consulting experience to Mazars already recognised audit, tax and advisory suite of services.

Accelerate Cape Town CEO Chris Whelan spoke at the launch and said ‘this joint venture of Mazars Berenschot South Africa is extremely exciting as it is this that Accelerate Cape Town is trying to achieve – bringing businesses together and encouraging investment in the Western Cape. Shared global expertise adds value to our country and ensures that by extension, we are globally connected. It is particularly encouraging that as much as it is about business, the people are focused on developing Africa.‘

Berenschot is one of the oldest management consulting firms in the Netherlands, and Luc Steenhorst, Director of Berenschot International said the joint venture in Africa fits a trend as ‘more and more European companies are asking us to support the development of businesses and projects in Africa.’ The choice for South Africa is mostly based on the close relation between the two countries. The Netherlands is an important trading partner of South Africa, and the Dutch industry is well represented in South Africa. With the choice for Mazars as local partner, the two firms build on their existing cooperation in the Netherlands.

Dutch Consul General Bonnie Horbach said: “The relationship between Africa and Europe has developed from aid to trade, and this joint venture is a shining example of that shift. Africa is experiencing a massive economic transformation and this is responsible for the evolution of the relationships between Europe and Africa that are now based on mutual respect and understanding. Mazars Berenschot South Africa is very much a venture based on the understanding that global experience needs a local context to be successful and, by combining the talents of both firms, is making a positive contribution to the new African economic reality,” said Horbach.

Mazars Berenschot South Africa is based in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The advisory firm will mainly focus on clients in the water, energy, transport, healthcare and public sectors. Find out more at www.mb-sa.co.za