TURKEY - Hewitt Associates has formed a human resources and actuarial consulting alliance with Turkish management consulting company IDE Consulting.

Financial terms were not disclosed. The office, in Istanbul, will be led by IDE head Cengiz Gurleyik.

Hewitt has worked with IDE for 10 years. It will also continue to offer actuarial and benefit services in Turkey. 

"We are delighted to cement our relationship with IDE and to bring them into the Hewitt fold," said Hewitt's European head of consulting Roger Parkin.

"Cengiz and his team bring considerable knowledge - both technical and of their local market.  I am sure that they will make a major impact for our clients in Turkey and across Europe. 

"Turkey is an exciting and expanding market where many Hewitt clients are developing their businesses.  We are now much better placed to meet their needs by being able to offer them the services they have received from us elsewhere in Europe."
 
Gurleyik added: "Growth in pension assets and reforms in legislation are producing rapid changes in Turkey at present.

"This is taking place within the context of the country's potential membership of the European Union and strong economic growth, so the need for consulting services is growing rapidly.

"Joining the Hewitt Associates network enables us to make full use of the company's global knowledge and capabilities and will bring us considerable advantages within the Turkish market."

Elsewhere, rival Mercer Human Resource Consulting has made a series of appointments in its Leeds office. Andrew Birkett joins from Aon Consulting as a principal. Chris Ellis and Michael Shimwell join from Hewitt and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

It also named HSBC Actuaries & Consultants' Mike Baldwin as market leader in Aberdeen. Mercer says it has recruited 18 senior retirement consultants in the UK during 2006.

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