James Hadley named Bain & Company UK Managing Partner
MBB strategy consultancy Bain & Company has appointed James Hadley as its UK boss, taking over from the outgoing Michael Garstka. Hadley takes charge of Bain’s London office for an initial five-year term.
Over the last five years, the UK business of Bain & Company has seen a material increase in employee advocacy and retention, along with a fundamental reshaping of its client portfolio in the corporate, private equity, social impact and public sectors. Presiding over this sustained period of success has been Managing Partner Garstka.
Garstka’s five-year tenure as Managing Partner included bold action for the promotion of gender equality and the spearheading of a push to offer 29 weeks of fully paid parental leave to all Bain & Company employees in the UK. At the start of February, Garstka has stepped back from the role, having completed his term, and now returns to serving clients in the London office.
Taking his place is James Hadley, who has been with the firm since 1996. In the following 24 years, Hadley has worked with clients around the world, specialising in corporate strategy and strategic transformations. He has led the firm’s EMEA Strategy Practice for the past 10 years, and was also the Managing Partner of Bain & Company in the Middle East between 2008 and 2012. He later served two terms on the firm’s global Compensation and Promotion Committee from 2013 to 2019.
“This is a tremendously exciting time for our business,” said Hadley. “Global trends, for example digitally-driven transformation, the ongoing redefinition of corporate mission, and a renewed and genuine focus on sustainability in business, are accelerating innovation across all industries. There has never been a better time to team with bold, change-oriented executives who seek to achieve extraordinary results.”
Hadley now assumes responsibility for leading the firm’s London office. He will hold the position alongside serving on the boards of two charities that focus on education and young people: the Shakespeare Schools Foundation, and the Social Business Trust.
Domenico Azzarello, Head of Bain & Company’s EMEA region, commented, “James is a leader held in high regard by his peers and colleagues. He is admired for his exceptional client dedication and recognized for his outstanding contribution to developing talent within our firm. We have experienced remarkable growth in the UK over the past five years and are excited to see James take the helm of our dynamic and innovative London office.”