Levett & Bailey seeks ties

The firm is believed to be weighing up three options for future international alliances: joining forces with Rider Hunt in the UK; tying up with a separate UK practice; or setting up an operation itself.

Julian Anderson, president of US operation Rider Hunt Levett & Bailey, which is not linked to Rider Hunt in the UK, said: “They are looking at these three options. None of them are off the table at this point.”

Anderson confirmed that the alliance between G&T, Levett & Bailey and Rider Hunt, which was originally agreed in 1997, had collapsed due to a row over operations in China.

Anderson said: “The parties were unable to come to a happy arrangement. It’s apparent that if the territorial issues were not adequately defined, the probability of difficulties arising is always there.”

A former G&T employee said the alliance had floundered after the departure of senior partner Roger Fidgen, who retired last year and has since become chairman at listed engineering consultant Waterman.

I think the people in charge now almost wished for the break-up as they were against it from day one

The employee said: “Roger was the biggest proponent of the tie-up, he kept it going. He put a lot of effort into it. I think the people in charge now almost wished for it (the break-up) as they were against it from day one.”

The boss of a rival firm said he thought that G&T had intended to strike a more formal agreement with the two other firms but it had never transpired. He said: “It never happened. No one seemed to own it so it never worked. You have to work really hard to find opportunities together.”

The alliance between G&T, Levett & Bailey and Rider Hunt originally had more than 100 offices around the world and a combined staff of more than 2,000.