Clare Gordon named managing partner of Bain & Company’s UK business
Bain & Company has named Clare Gordon as the new leader of its UK wing. She takes over from James Hadley, who held the position for the last six years.
James Hadley first headed up Bain & Company in the UK in 2020. Since then, the firm says it has enjoyed a “multi-year run of strong growth”, and “a very substantial expansion in… large-scale client relationships”. Facilitating that has been the greater integration with Bain’s wider EMEA and global operations, bringing the full breadth and depth of the firm’s capabilities to clients across industries.
Looking ahead, Hadley will continue to work with clients as a senior partner in Bain’s strategy and transformation practice.
Domenico Azzarello, Bain’s regional managing partner for Europe, Middle East and Africa, said of his efforts, “Under James’s leadership, our London office has grown to become as crucial hub for Bain in EMEA and client activity across the range of our activities. James has piloted the UK business through not just a highly successful period of growth and commercial success since 2019, but also through a time in which it has greatly expanded the size of our teams, deepened the capabilities we bring to clients, and strengthened the culture in our London office as a key driver for our future success.”
Stepping into his shoes will be Clare Gordon, who has previously served as the firm’s chief strategy officer. Effective from January 15 2026, Gordon has been installed to head up the firm’s London office and UK wing, at a time when Bain says its business there is “experiencing strong growth and fast-paced development in the scope and scale of its capabilities.”
Azzarello added, “Throughout her career, Clare has been recognized by colleagues across the firm not only for her client success and leadership, but also for the way she represents the unique values of Bain as a role model with an international and fresh perspective, as well our ambitions for the success of our business. Clare is inspirational, commercially successful, and known for developing strong teams and fostering Bain’s special culture. I am looking forward to seeing how she will further develop and build on the continuing success of our UK business and unlock its next wave of growth and delivery for our clients in the UK and Europe.”
She will draw on a 24-year career at Bain, including as a senior partner in the firm’s consumer products, and marketing practices. She has also been a chief strategy officer, and a member of the firm’s global leadership team. She has led multiple large-scale business transformations and post-merger integrations with clients across all major regions, including during a six-year posting in Asia.
Gordon remarked, “This is an exciting moment to be taking over leadership of our UK business. It’s a time of extraordinary change where companies are seeing AI, and other critical challenges, radically reshape the business landscape and redefine industries – and where we have a crucial role to play in helping our clients grasp the opportunities this brings. I’m excited to work with our talented teams in London to enable the companies we work with to realize their ambitions and turn those into sustained results and value.”
