Our Story

twenty years and counting

Leathwaite: Executive Search & Leadership Talent. The world’s leading Executive Search & Leadership Talent specialists for Corporate Functions

Leathwaite is an award-winning executive search and leadership talent advisory firm, delivering an interconnected range of executive search, executive interim and data & insight services.

The company is guided by one clear purpose, which is ‘To Create Meaningful Change Through Exceptional People’, which drives the internal culture of the business and helps to make Leathwaite a leader within this industry.

1999

Leathwaite was founded

Leathwaite was founded in 1999 by four partners, (from left to right) Martin Phillips, James Rust, Neil Ejje and Andrew Wallace – all of whom are still active partners within the business today.

Their goal was to create an executive search business that would be sustainable and gain a reputation for being committed to delivery excellence. Over time, Leathwaite has diversified to offer a range of executive search, executive interim, and data & insight solutions.

This evolution has been underpinned by the level of appointments and length of relationships maintained with some of the world’s foremost businesses.

From the company’s very first location on ‘Leathwaite Road’ in west London, Leathwaite now has an established network of global locations including Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, London, Zurich and Hong Kong.

2005

Leathwaite opens office in New York

Having firmly established Leathwaite’s UK operation, the firm felt the next natural point of expansion was to open its first permanent overseas location, choosing central New York.

Over the last 15 or so years, the New York office has steadily grown, most notably with the appointment of Paul Groce in 2018, as Partner and Head of Americas. Since his appointment, the US operation has experienced consecutive record revenue years.

2006

Executive Interim Practice launched

Anticipating a growth in demand for senior executive talent on an interim basis, Leathwaite launched its Executive Interim Practice in 2006.

The Executive Interim Practice is now led by Director, Sam Burt, and has now firmly established itself as the market leading provider for senior level consultants across Transformation, Technology, Controls and Regulatory.

2008

Leathwaite opens office in Hong Kong

Establishing Leathwaite within the APAC region via the opening of an office in Hong Kong, followed soon after the successful launch of the New York operation, was the next objective of the company.

Following steady growth in the region, James Lawrence-Brown was then appointed in 2016 to lead the office. Since this time the office has moved to new premises, doubled in headcount, and now services clients throughout the entire APAC region.

2011

Leathwaite opens office in Zurich

Opening a mainland European office in 2011 in Switzerland, led by Chris Rowe, provided Leathwaite with another opportunity to cement it’s ability to service clients from locations around the globe.

As a result of this permanent European base, Leathwaite now regularly serves clients within a broad variety of countries including France, Germany, Luxemburg, Spain and Italy, in addition to its base of Switzerland.

2016

Leathwaite moves to Equitable House HQ in London

To facilitate the company’s desire for continued growth, Leathwaite moved to its new Equitable House HQ in 2016, providing the company with the ideal platform to drive expansion towards a global headcount of 100.

The move also coincided with key appointments to Leathwaite’s board, including former IRIS CEO, Martin Leuw, as non-executive Chairman, former Deutsche Bank CHRO, Conrad Venter, and more recently, former Barclays Wealth CEO, Dena Brumpton.

Leathwaite HQ building Equitable House square

2017

Leathwaite Launches The Pay Index

Leathwaite continued to seek ways to innovate and differentiate and in 2017 the company launched The Pay Index, an unique data and insight solution for executive pay.

Led by James Rust, one of Leathwaite’s founding partners, The Pay Index has now successfully undergone seed and first-round funding and is now becoming a major player within the sector.

2019

Leathwaite joins the AESC

Committed to driving standards across the global executive search industry, Leathwaite welcomed the opportunity to become a member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants (the AESC) in 2019.

In 2020 Leathwaite won AESC’s coveted award for its commitment to community service and voluntary work with charitable causes.

Then in 2021, Leathwaite Partners, Paul Groce and James Lawrence-Brown are announced as the latest AESC Council Representatives for the AESC Council of the Americas and the AESC Council of Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

2020

Leathwaite opens offices in Dallas and Los Angeles

Intent on increasing Leathwaite’s footprint within North America, Leathwaite expanded to two key locations in 2020, with the opening of offices in Los Angeles and Dallas.

David Carden, Partner and one of Leathwaite’s longest-serving employees, relocated from New York to open the west coast location. Whilst Kevin Parker joined as Partner, from Heidrick & Struggles, to launch the company’s Dallas location.

When Neil, James, Marty and I took the plunge to launch Leathwaite back in 1999, we had no idea that twenty-something years later we'd have gone on the journey we have. I am immensely proud of the company that Leathwaite has developed into, and this is solely as a result of the energy, enthusiasm and professionalism of the incredible people who have worked in the business.
Andrew Wallace, Leathwaite Managing Partner

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Our Offices

T: +852 3695 5002

Suite 2002,
Ruttonjee House,
Ruttonjee Centre,
11 Duddell Street,
Central,
Hong Kong

HK Agency Licence Number 69216

Key contact:
James Lawrence-Brown, Partner

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