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Fisher Leadership Announces the Acquisition of the Centre for Leadership Advantage
Announcement: Deal to acquire Centre for Leadership Advantage supercharges the CogNative Advisory and Assessment Offering
Fisher Leadership’s Managing Director, Michelle Loader announces the acquisition of the Centre for Leadership Advantage (CLA) this week. The move will significantly boost Fisher Leadership’s advisory capability under the CogNative brand and strengthen its delivery of future of work executive solutions.
Ms Loader describes the new merger with CLA as ‘disruption by design’. Fisher Leadership is globally recognised for promoting leadership diversity and inclusion, having worked with C-Suite and Board Directors for 20 years. The firm is increasingly strengthening its evidence-based research and technology capabilities to support organisations and executives in the rapidly changing future.
Joining the firm’s well-established partners Liz Jones, Andrew Norton, David Baber, Kate Wheeler and Sharyn Gowans, Adam Kyriacou will lead the Gig Executive practice, and Marcele de Sanctis will continue to lead the CLA team.
The newly acquired CLA is a renowned Leadership and Talent Assessment firm, with affiliations to Business Chicks and blue-chip corporations throughout the APAC region. Founded five years ago, CLA has accelerated rapidly in this short span of time earning itself a position in Financial Review ‘Fast Starters 2020’. CLA anchors the CogNative offering in the science of leadership and will continue to be led by Co-founder and CEO Dr Marcele De Sanctis.
Dr De Sanctis says,
“CLA have managed to carve a great brand in this highly competitive market. I think that is because we talk about the psychology and science of leadership in very practical and pragmatic ways. Our recommendations come from experience, yes, but also top-quality research and evidence. We are true scientist-practitioners who build trust, credibility and deliver on what we promise.”
Fisher Leadership will leverage their newfound technology and assessment capabilities to provide a full product HR suite enabling the firm to support executive solutions across the HR lifecycle. The company’s diversification strategy to date has accomplished the launch of the Gig Executive brand, specializing in immediately available executive talent solving for capability and capacity at pace. As well as the advisory arm, CogNative is emerging as a key provider of Leadership, Coaching, Transition, and Mental Health products and services. The CogNative suite is already underpinned by technology capability including a digital career transition program, and mental health and wellbeing programs with wearable technology and hybrid delivery capability.
Managing Director Michelle Loader says,
“The Executive Search side of our firm, is always looking to bring the difference, generating true value for our clients and candidates. We have helped shape leadership today via cultural, environmental and board governance solutions alongside ensuring diversity at decision-making tables. Today we remain committed to our purpose of ‘creating a world of difference’, our extended capability enables future-facing solutions that support leaders and organizations at every stage on the leadership journey.”
Chairman Leon Lau is a human resources technology pioneer who founded Peoplebank, and has long understood the need for an entrepreneurial mentality within big business. As a shareholder in the firm, Leon brings a global mindset with experience in the Asia Pacific region. Leon says, “I’m delighted with the way the team sees disruption as opportunity, and shifts gears to meet it head on.” Founding Director, Jo Fisher agrees, stating “This acquisition is a key milestone for our firm to meet the accelerating demand for proven contemporary, future-facing solutions to executive leadership challenges and opportunities for both organisations and executives.”
The continued focus on exceptional candidate care overlaid with the long-standing commitment to executive diversity will underpin new products and services across Executive Search, Strategic Advisory, Leadership Transition and Gig Executive talent.
