In January 2026, Kaiser Associates joined Sia, a global management and AI consulting firm. Founded in 1999, Sia has longstanding strategy and management consulting capabilities, now augmented by strong AI and data science skills. Sia covers a broad range of sectors and services, with 3,000 consultants across 48 offices in 19 countries. The group serves more than 1,000 clients, including a vast majority of Fortune 500 companies and most of the Magnificent 7.
Kaiser Associates was founded in 1981 by Michael M. Kaiser, as a spin-off from Strategic Planning Associates (now Mercer Management Consulting). Michael Kaiser started Kaiser Associates with a simple yet powerful mission: to help companies make more informed strategic and operational decisions by incorporating external insight and analysis.
From the very beginning, Kaiser Associates specialized in “fact-based” strategy development and performance improvement.
By 1985 we were widely recognized as the world leader in benchmarking. We published the very first book on the subject, Beating the Competition: A Practical Guide to Benchmarking, and have since delivered over 3,000+ benchmarking engagements. In the later 1980s and early 1990s, we expanded our offerings substantially, to include “fact-based” growth, go-to-market, productivity, and M&A / divestiture services.
Today, Kaiser Associates continues to grow with a global presence and impact. Among the many consulting firms that have originated and expanded over the last 40 years, Kaiser sets itself apart with an unrelenting focus on uncovering fresh, granular data and research not available in the public domain combined with expertise in translating that information into actionable strategy recommendations.
Enabled by our mid-tier size and boutique ethos, Kaiser engagements are marked by a level of speed, flexibility, and responsiveness that is highly competitive in the marketplace vs. our competitors. Our leaders are long-tenured consultants who continue to advise clients on a wide variety of strategic challenges and opportunities.
Our reputation for delivering superior work and exceptional results continue to fuel our growth. We maintain a selective and elite client base working with some of the world’s most admired companies.
Throughout the years, Kaiser has consistently been recognized by our clients and peers.
- Leading firm on The Vault Consulting 50, year over year (most recently #17 in 2024)
- Frontrunner in the Vault Top 25 for Promotion Policies, Interaction with Clients, and Firm Culture
- Named by Forbes as one of ‘America’s Best Consulting Firms’ since the inaugural list in 2016
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Kaiser
Kaiser is committed to creating a culture in which difference can thrive and inclusion is fostered.
We care about diversity and inclusion because we value the social impact that businesses can have in driving equality and social justice and appreciate the business value of the unique viewpoints of our consultants. Kaiser’s goal is to create equitable hiring practices, create an inclusive work environment, and celebrate the full range of our collective experience. To move towards this vision, we are actively implementing innovative strategies to attract and retain diverse talent, support the professional development of all employees, and encourage our team to develop the skills that they need to excel.
Our Core Values for an Inclusive Culture
- Be consistently working to understand our diverse representation, and how we can improve diversity at the leadership level
- Make it possible for our managers to support, guide, and empower our employees through ongoing career and performance discussions
- Create an environment of courage and curiosity, where inclusion is spoken about proudly
- A culture where anyone who has the capability and desire to excel can do so through equal opportunities
- Embrace and leverage the differences that our employees bring to our teams
- Be objective and bias-free in our recruitment procedures