Leong Cheung adds AI and data capabilities to M&A advisory

Leon Cheung's arrival at EY-Parthenon comes as private equity sponsors and corporate dealmakers increasingly deploy AI and advanced data analytics across the deal lifecycle – including thesis generation, digital due diligence, post-merger tech integration and value creation.

“I'm excited to start this next chapter at EY-Parthenon, helping unlock value at the intersection of strategy, transactions and AI,” Leon noted on his appointment.

He joins the company after a memorable year at Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Platinion in Brussels as an IT architect. “I'm grateful for the opportunity to have worked with talented colleagues and clients on technology, data and digital transformation challenges,” Leon shares, thanking them for their support, guidance, trust and honest feedback throughout both the ups and downs. This gave him valuable experience in consulting Belgian businesses on their technology concerns and aspirations, which he will carry forward into the next role.

Along with various certifications to back the extensive platform skills he has gained over the years, Leon also holds a master’s degree in business engineering, specialising in data analytics, from Ghent University.

The technical and strategic foundation for future success
Before his tenure in management consulting, Leon built a strong technical foundation at data and analytics specialist Keyrus. “Starting as a data scientist for a telecom client, I applied Python and SQL to develop predictive analytics models, enabling data-driven decision-making,” he explains. “Later I transitioned to a data engineer role in the financial services sector, where I managed analytics platforms on Azure and delivered cloud integration projects.”

Beyond client work, he also contributed to the Keyrus Academy by developing and teaching courses on Python and Spark, sharing his expertise with clients and colleagues.

“With this new chapter, I also want to thank Keyrus for the past three years. It’s been an incredible place to start my advisory career, with a unique mix of data science and data engineering experiences that I’ll carry forward,” Leon says.

Prior to this, Leon gained three years of strategy experience at Capitant, organising local events and contributing to decisions that improved the company as a whole. “Having faced many challenges, met amazing like-minded people, and learned a wide variety of skills, there is nothing I would change about my experience,” he comments.