Guiding complex transitions, solving complicated issuses or optimising operating processes: Improven consultancy does all this with a very personal touch. Masha Hennequin is partner at Improven: "We want to distinguish ourselves with a human and personal approach." 

Improven was founded in September 2016. "Basically we originated from the company ConQuaestor," explains Masha. After a number of turbulent years, we decided to sell the name ConQuaestor to DPA. "We wanted to see if DPA would fulfil an interesting umbrella function for us and they could also accommodate us in their offices." Sadly, the umbrella very quickly appeared less interesting than expected. Masha: "And then you discover how important your corporate culture is. We're a real people-oriented company. A company that believes in connection - consultancy with soul. At DPA, the culture was too corporate and hierarchical for us. After just three days, we already felt about everything that: 'This is not our home'". 

Strategy

Masha laughs: “Our strategy is and remains to do fun projects, for great customers with great colleagues.” And this in its own unique way: “A human and personal approach and sitting down together with the customer and ensuring a realized and supported improvement. We really wanted to distinguish ourselves with this”, but to achieve that, an investor is needed and that is how Improven came into contact with Quadrum. If we want to spar, we can always contact Quadrum.

Perfect match

It turns out to be a perfect match. "From the word go, we felt that Quadrum had a great deal of confidence in our company. Because they believe that there is a sweet spot for Improven within the consultancy market, as we really do things differently." And besides a lot of freedom, there is also room for collaboration. "When we need a sparring partner, we can always turn to Quadrum and sometimes they trigger an inspiring idea or they link us to someone in their network that results in a great contact. More and more parties are finding each other within Quadrum's network." 

Warm corporate culture

Collaboration is also high on the agenda within Improven. “We connect people and really do things together,” says Masha. “Our employee satisfaction survey shows that our employees are happy people. “Everyone is welcome with us. Our office is truly a base where people like to come and where everyone feels at home. Improvers give their colleagues a 9.2 and working at Improven an 8.7.” Figures that show that the warm corporate culture works, but the market also appreciates this; we have reached the top of the Dutch consultancy market for two years in a row, with Diamond status.”

A view on the future

Improven now has around 250 projects in its portfolio and with an annual growth of around 25 percent, the company is in fantastic shape, but that is of course no reason to sit still. “We certainly want to continue growing, although it is not a goal in itself. We want to guide organizations through transformations, as we are doing now. At the same time, we also want to see if we can further expand the international market, now that we are also based in London since the acquisition of ‘It's Value’.” Masha concludes: “But we can also become much bigger in what we already do, what we are good at. There is always room for improvement, that is also our motto!”