ZURICH, SWITZERLAND May 30, 2007 – Marakon announced the addition of Dirk Nowak, former owner and managing director of SDI Management Consulting, as partner and head of the firm’s Zurich office.

Mr. Nowak will advise clients on issues relating to strategy, growth, productivity and execution, particularly in the energy, pharma, financial services, and industrial sectors. In addition, as head of the firm’s Zurich office, Mr. Nowak will work closely with Mike Baxter, the firm’s regional managing partner for Europe, to drive Marakon’s growth within German-speaking markets.

Marakon is an international strategy consultancy that works with the top management of large, global companies. Its publicly-known clients (past and present) include Alcan, Barclays, BP, Cadbury Schweppes, Diageo, Gillette and Roche.

The addition of Mr. Nowak signals the firm’s continued commitment to expand its practice in Continental Europe. Marakon announced the opening of its Zurich office, its first in Continental Europe, in October 2006.

"Dirk brings a strong knowledge of the German and Swiss markets combined with a clear entrepreneurial spirit and deep expertise in the areas of greatest concern to our clients," said Brian Burwell, Marakon’s Chief Executive. "We are delighted to have him on board."

"I have known Marakon for many years as one of the most reputable strategy consultancies with an unrelenting commitment to achieving superior economic value for its clients," commented Mr. Nowak. "I am looking forward to building on the firm’s unique offer to help expand our long-term client partnerships in the region."

Mr. Nowak founded SDI Management Consulting in 2002. Since then, he has been consulting to a broad range of leading European and American companies on strategy and M&A issues. Prior to establishing SDI, Mr. Nowak served as managing director, Germany for Venture Consulting, a 3i-funded consulting company. He previously worked for Reliant Energy in the US, Germany, and the Netherlands, and began his professional career as a management consultant at Gemini Consulting. In addition to speaking four languages – English, German, French, and Spanish – Mr. Nowak holds a degree in business administration from the European Business School and an MBA with distinction from Georgetown and INSEAD.

To arrange an interview or request a photo, please contact Colleen Gargan at Marakon Associates in New York, at +1 212 377 5044 or Melanie Smith in London at +44-20-7747-3790.

About Marakon Associates
Founded in 1978, Marakon Associates is an international management consulting firm that works with senior executives of large, global companies on the issues that most drive corporate performance and long-term value. The Economist has called it "a consultancy that has advised some of the world’s most consistently successful companies." In January 2007, the firm announced that it had merged with Integrated Finance Limited, a financial advisory firm, to create Trinsum. This merger added capabilities in strategic risk management, M&A execution and fund management to Marakon’s advisory practice. Trinsum is based in New York and London, with additional offices in Chicago, San Francisco, Singapore, Tokyo and Zurich.