What are your highlights of 2019?
Achieving 30% year on year growth again (three years in a row) would be one of the main achievements for the business in 2019. Also seeing the growth of the team that we have in place here. Many have moved into more senior positions within the firm and are delivering on multiple search assignments.
I’ve recruited a number of people from all different backgrounds and levels of experience, and to see how they have developed over the years has been a real pleasure to witness and be a part of. Frequent visits back to the London HQ have ensured clarity of vision and purpose, plus it’s great to keep in touch. I have especially enjoyed in-between time spent on planes, trains and automobiles, meeting and developing key client relationships. I am especially proud to say that every week, someone from my team is out across the country in some state and city meeting our candidates and our clients.
We brought in a new professional recruitment trainer that has been a real game changer for us. Once a quarter now the entire team spends two days in training.
Continued growth. When we moved into our new offices in February 2017, there was just myself and Jenny Tansley in the business. I remember walking into the office and thinking how on earth am I going to fill this space? As I write this now, we have a team of 30 staff with offices here in LA, San Francisco, New York and Vermont. Our business partnerships, our people, and our clients have grown exponentially.
How do you find being part of the group and tell us about your relationship with Hanover since 2016?
A lot of people have asked what do you put the success down to over the past few years now that you are back with Hanover. My answer to them is that it is not one thing but lots of little things that have all added up and culminated in the formula for success. It’s been a complete team effort to develop the business, our clients, and our candidate relationships. I would like to personally thank my team and our wonderful clients.
I was Hanover’s first ever employee when it started back in April 1996. We were based in an underground bunker in Covent Garden and from there the business grew very quickly. I remember Stephen Phipps, the current European CEO, joining the business and sitting with me on the team. Even after I left I stayed in touch with many of the team there; Alistair Brindley (one of Hanover’s Senior Partners) and I shared many fun moments (most of which cannot be put into print here) living in Fulham, South West London, together for a number of years.
Being part of a global business has definitely helped me grow the US business. Our clients now see that we have the resources to deliver multiple assignments in a timely and professional manner. It has also opened up cross border selling opportunities for the business as a whole.
How did you end up moving to the States?
It had always been a dream of mine to live and work in the states. I remember quite vividly sitting at home in Fulham, one dreary cold February evening back in 2008, and thought to myself, why not? So I went online and found a small search firm near the beach in LA and called their President, a certain Bill Willis answered the phone and I told him I wanted to work in the states. Within a few weeks I had flown out to meet with him and he agreed to hire me. The visa issue took some time but eventually in February 2009, I arrived at LAX with three bags of clothes, nowhere to live and I began a new adventure. My mother is a US citizen so after living in LA for a few years, I got my green card and have built myself a new life out here.
What does 2020 and beyond hold for you and your business area?
We want to continue to grow and expand our brand. What makes us unique (and I mean really unique in the traditional financial advisory market) is that we have a team, ‘the Titan’s T12 team’ that spend all their time dedicated to building relationships and working with the Financial Advisors across the country; plus we also do executive searches for other positions within wealth management firms and banks. We really are a one-stop-shop for key clients and we have built fantastic partnerships and trust with these key players. Our clients value our service and partnerships and as with so many of them our cultural and business values are aligned, allowing delivery and communication to be extremely successful.
We are potentially looking to open a new office in another location and will continue to grow the Hanover brand and be a disrupter within the Financial Advisory market.
An interesting fact about yourself?
Not a lot of people know this, but I had football trials with Chelsea FC back when I was in my teens. I spent a week on trial with them at their training ground near Heathrow. I wasn’t offered a contract of course but my claim to fame is saving a Kerry Dixon penalty!
