MSQ brings together Freemavens and The Forge to launch new global growth consultancy 

Today, we launch Forge, a new impact-driven growth consultancy created through the integration of two of our established insight and strategy businesses, Freemavens and The Forge.

In an era of disruption and transformation, Forge’s mission is to help global organisations create tomorrow’s value today through next generation advisory expertise. It will offer clients five core consulting capabilities; Foresight & Trends, Dynamic Demand, Growth Strategy, Go-to-market innovation, Business Capability & Implementation, taking clients from identifying future pools of growth through to execution and impact. 

Working with global businesses including PepsiCo, CFA Institute, Danone, Diageo, Unilever, Kraft Heinz, Forge will be headquartered in London, with additional offices in Amsterdam and New York. It will be led by Chief Executive, Steven Melford, and Chief Growth Officer and Managing Director, Eleanor Lloyd Malcolm. They will report to Bart Michels, Executive Director at MSQ.

Clients will benefit from a single partner that can move seamlessly from diagnosis to delivery, working with best-in-class specialists at every step of the journey. Forge’s unique peloton team model, supported by data, tech & creativity, enables it to deliver robust critical intelligence at pace without compromising on the partnership and engagement required to drive transformational impact through organisations.

Michels says: "The strategic consultancy market is ripe for disruption. There is a big gap between brilliant strategic thinking and genuine business impact.  By combining our senior consulting expertise with intelligent data, integrated technology and applied creativity, we believe Forge is perfectly placed to close that gap, giving clients both the thinking and the means to act on it.”

Melford says: "We measure ourselves by outcomes rather than outputs. That’s only possible when you have our unique combination of exceptional “deep thinking” talent in the same room as best-in-class data, AI technology and creative firepower. Transformative tools allow our team to go deeper, move faster, and deliver with a level of precision that simply wasn't possible before. I believe that combination makes Forge a hugely exciting proposition."

Eleanor Lloyd Malcolm, Chief Growth Officer and Managing Director, adds: "Forge is a consultancy for the next generation of growth leaders. Our position within the MSQ network gives us a unique perspective as advisors not just on where growth lies but how to realise it. We have the ability to deliver strategic advisory at the highest level with the tangible toolkits needed to drive engagement and implementation throughout an organisation. Only then is impact achieved at the pace required to win.

Founded in 2012, Freemavens was a pioneer in using digital data to fuel consumer led strategy at the pace of culture. It has been part of the MSQ group since 2020, after MSQ acquired its previous parent company, Be Heard.  

The Forge was acquired by MSQ in May last year. The business was initially founded in 2013 and operated a successful director-only colleague model, working with global clients across healthcare, consumer products, retail, fashion, entertainment and finance. 

For more information, visit: forgemsq.com