They help companies with their biggest challenges – market strategies, regulatory reviews, competition inquiries. And they help governments design innovative policies and regulatory systems.

Economics is (nearly) everywhere and the economist’s toolkit is large. Clients are surprised at the breadth of their work. Not just the costs of supply, movements in demand, pricing and competitive dynamics. But they are also experts in finance, statistical modelling, game theory, market research and even the psychological side of economics. And they’ve worked in almost every sector imaginable, from fertilisers and oil rigs to handbags and iPads.

In some sectors, economics is so critical that they’ve also built specialist knowledge. Their powerful tools and sector knowledge are valuable. But they try not to stop there. Making an impact for clients means understanding the issues, whether it’s the commercial reality of the business; what is really driving customer behaviour; or the political context. They are also aware that their clients want clear and simple advice, from people they trust. So they place a lot of emphasis on their communications, and on human relationships. They provide complex analysis but plain language – English, German, French or Spanish.

Their reports are often used in legal proceedings and so their evidential standards are high. They never “write to order”. Their work is respected because they  are independent and obsessive about the truth. They work with clients all over the world and have offices in Berlin, Brussels, Cologne, Dublin, Madrid, London and Paris. Their sister company in Australia works from Sydney and Melbourne.