Nick knows the changing demands of a consulting business from inside the organisation: winning work, recruiting consultants, developing business managers, leading a division and taking full P&L responsibility.
At ALTEN, his roles progressed from managing 35 consultants to leading an engineering division of 320 FTE. At Aixial, his global executive role included an international reorganisation covering 500 FTE. Those were different roles, organisations and chapters, each with its own management challenges.
He founded Follis in 2019. Today, that operating experience informs his advisory and coaching work with consulting-company founders, partners and leadership teams.
01 / Selected track record
Experience at scale. With the context.
Selected figures from Nick's professional record, attached to the roles and projects they describe.
320 FTE
Engineering division leadership
ALTEN Belgium Director, Engineering Division 2016–2018
+220
Additional billable FTE over three years
Reported growth of the engineering division during his directorship at ALTEN Belgium, 2016–2018.
500 FTE
International reorganisation scope
Aixial CRO Global work-package organisation US and Europe, 2022–2023
3 / 10+
Future directors and business-unit managers developed
Leadership development reported during his ALTEN engineering-division directorship.
Figures describe the specific scope, growth and period shown. Business results reflect the contribution of the teams involved.
02 / The career behind Follis
Growing businesses. Growing responsibility.
2019–present
Founder
FOLLIS
Advisory and coaching for leaders growing and professionalising consulting companies. Founded alongside Nick's executive career.
Strategy development and implementation
Organisation, performance and talent management
Leadership coaching and management development
January 2022–February 2023
Executive Director Global & Board Member
AIXIAL CRO
International leadership across work-package and resourcing activities, including organisational restructuring, market focus and strategic planning.
Global work-package reorganisation: 500 FTE and €50m annual turnover scope
European resourcing and platform activities: 100 FTE and €10m turnover scope
Launch and development of the Swiss company
January 2019–February 2022
Executive Director & Board Member
ALTEN BELGIUM
Led the turnaround of a division incorporating two acquired software-testing businesses, with responsibility for a 150-FTE, €20m scope.
Management and consultant retention
Post-acquisition organisational integration
Development of a successor Head of Division and leadership transition
January 2016–December 2018
Director, Engineering Division
ALTEN BELGIUM
Full P&L responsibility for a 320-FTE engineering division with €35m turnover and a management team of 12.
220 additional billable FTE reported over three years
More than 100 engineers recruited per year
Development of three future directors and 10+ business-unit managers
More than 100 FTE moved into work-package delivery
November 2012–January 2016
Business Manager, then Business Unit Manager
ALTEN BELGIUM
Built hands-on experience in the core management work of a consulting company: commercial development, recruitment, consultant management and leading other managers.
Business Manager: 35 consultants, November 2012–June 2014
Business Unit Manager: 80 consultants and four business managers, July 2014–January 2016
March 2010–November 2012
Account Manager
ABB
Commercial responsibility in the Belgian market, with a €10m sales budget. An early foundation in account development, complex sales and translating technical value into commercial results.
Growth is a combination of commercial choices, an organisation that can deliver and people who can take the next level of responsibility.
Build / ALTEN Engineering
Develop the leaders who carry the growth.
Scaling the engineering division required more than recruitment. It meant developing business managers, building the management team and creating space for future directors to take responsibility.
12management FTE in the division's leadership structure.
Integrate / ALTEN Belgium
Bring the organisation back into alignment.
The software-testing division turnaround connected acquired businesses, management continuity and the development of a successor. The work combined organisational change with a deliberate leadership transition.
2acquired software-testing businesses within the division.
Establish / Aixial Switzerland
Turn a new market into an operating business.
The Swiss company launch brought together the commercial proposition, the organisation and the practical work of getting a new business established.
<6 monthsto breakeven, with 20 additional billable FTE after one year, as reported in Nick's professional record.
04 / What this brings to your firm
A sparring partner who understands the moving parts.
Follis brings these experiences into the questions facing your business today. The starting point is your situation, your ambition and the people who will make the next stage possible.
Connect market choices, recruiting, delivery capacity and financial performance in one management conversation.
02
Leadership at different levels
Work with the reality of founders, executive teams and business managers, including the transition from individual contributor to leader.
03
Structure through change
Think through roles, decision-making and management practices as growth, integration or a turnaround changes the organisation.
Career dates, responsibilities and figures on this page are drawn from Nick Allaert's original professional record. Selected public profiles: Nick Allaert on LinkedIn and Follis on LinkedIn. Career company names identify past experience and do not imply endorsement of Follis.
The next chapter starts with a conversation.
What are you building towards?
Tell Nick where your firm is today and where you want to take it.
