About us
Above all, we care for our clients’ best interests. We believe that if a brief is not right for us, we should say so : that way we remain constantly invigorated by seeing the value our advice brings to our clients.
We are not afraid to ask the difficult questions and we expect to be challenged ourselves. Insightful, creative and workable solutions that build value for our clients is our standard.
We know the audiences our clients care about : many of us are from those audiences in previous working lives.
We have to think internationally whilst at the same time, employing our deep understanding of the dynamics driving the industry sectors in which our clients operate.
Consulting business internationally is what energises us, and we are grateful to the many clients who come back to us for more, year after year.
Our people
Our people are the foundation of our success. Our consultants are deeply experienced in all aspects of business communications, with backgrounds in business journalism, corporate communications, the capital markets, corporate branding and analysis.
We attract strong people because of our long-term commitment to their well-being and career development. We retain people who are excited by our core ambition: to provide value to our clients, through insight, creative solutions and tried-and-tested delivery systems.
Our values
People ask what we’re like.
So we asked ourselves.
Our researchers carried out a companywide consultation with every member of our staff to establish what we stand for.
The exercise produced five words that we believe in:
- Partnership
- Challenge
- Creativity
- Belief
- Delivery
Our story
The origins of College Group stretch back to 1990 with the opening of business and financial communications consultancy, College Hill.
Growth was rapid and the company soon secured its place in the sector and a reputation as one of London’s most effective consultancies attracting a flow of major clients.
In 2006, College Group was born and in the intervening years, through a combination of a series of acquisitions and organic growth, it has more than tripled in size - broadening its services to include government and regulatory affairs; risk, issue and crisis management; employee engagement; strategic research and branding, design, reporting and digital. Offices in Hong Kong, India and South Africa were opened together with its first operation in continental Europe with Stockheim Media and a dedicated team was established to work in emerging markets.
Today, following the announcement in October 2011 of the investment by independent private equity group Vitruvian Partners, the College Group has entered a new and exciting era of expansion both by service and geography.
Our clients
Our Financial and Corporate Communications practice is retained annually by over 250 companies listed on one or more stock exchange around the world and carries out capital markets transactions for many more.
Each of our other practise areas is either retained by or works regularly with some of the world's most recognised businesses and brands.
College Group advises:
- 10 Fortune 500 companies
- 41 FTSE 350 companies
- 10 FTSE Eurotop companies
- 8 of the world's top 100 brands
Our growth
College Group was established in 2006. We have more than tripled in size in just four years, which is a tribute to everyone in our business as well as to our loyal clients.
The rapid growth is even more significant when you consider it was achieved in a period that saw a meltdown of financial markets and a global economic recession.
With double-digit compound organic growth, our growth story continues.
Our mission remains to build the pre-eminent international business communications consultancy, providing high-end consultancy in or near the boardroom.
Our success has been recognised by our peers through the number of prestigious industry awards we have won.