2024: A year like no other!
In September, we merged Taylor Bennett with Birchwood Knight to form Taylor Birchwood. We did so to play to the best qualities and values of both firms. Taylor Bennett was founded in 1982 and built an outstanding reputation for delivering great results, investing in relationships, and operating with integrity. Birchwood Knight by comparison is a relative newcomer; 15 years in business which has been hallmarked by innovations such as our unique leadership and culture assessment tool, Cultureview, and the first large-scale diversity report for the in-house function.
Our first three and a half months have exceeded all expectations and we’re incredibly proud of our team for their commitment, hard work, and good humour in making the integration a success, and to our clients for showing us so much support.
Taylor Birchwood combines the best of both legacy firms and as we head into 2025, we’re clear on the areas where we can better support our clients.
This includes more search work in investor relations and sustainability, in addition to corporate affairs. More help for organisations needing to hire on an interim basis, whether it’s a highly experienced leader to bring stability to a team or to help facilitate a turnaround, or a specialist to help with a specific project or parental leave cover. And more support to create high performing teams, from organisational design to coaching, delivered in-house and through our key partners.
And speaking of partners, our international network continues to go from strength to strength led by Christian Löcker in Germany (Berlin and Frankfurt), Lucinda Barber in Hong Kong and Jessamyn Katz in the US (New York and San Francisco). Together, we have more people than any other firm globally focused exclusively on corporate affairs, investor relations and adjacent disciplines. This enables us to run the most thorough searches, giving our clients the confidence that they really are seeing the very best candidates. And giving candidates access to the widest range of opportunities.
We finish the year with great momentum and while the economic picture for next year is unclear, we’re optimistic that the best companies as well as those aspiring to get there will continue to invest in outstanding operators who can contribute to strategic thinking and help to protect and promote their reputations.
If you haven’t already please check out our inaugural pulse survey where we asked our panel of corporate affairs leaders for their views on Donald Trump’s second term and the impact they thought it would have on their business, and the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion in their organisation.
Merry Christmas.
Matthew Wall and Wayne Reynolds
Co-Founders and Managing Partners