San-Francisco-based Callan Associates made the jump into Europe late last year with the Bacon & Woodrow joint venture. The new company will target multinationals with subsidiaries in a variety of European countries and was a strategic move for Callan internationally. Callan isn't going to go anywhere," says Ron Peyton, president of Callan. "Callan is going to go with a partner, apartner on the ground, one that is already established, that knows the business like Bacon & Woodrow." The move was perhaps motivated by Callan's past experiences of going it alone. When the firm set up independently in Italy, it needed to train people "from scratch", says Peyton,"which was more difficult." Callan is probably better known in the US as being the consultant to the consultants, advising more than 100 firms, including three of the'big six' accountancies, which includes providing software tools, the majority of which are written in-house. On the investment side, Callan employs 48 analysts. Callan is working on a "board level" DC programme in the US, and is not looking to go the educational seminar route, unlike some larger competitors. "We will work more on a strategic level, helping them implement it and provide guidance and education in terms of broad information and act as an extension of the staff," says Ann de Luce, senior vice president."

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