A brand marketing and communications consultancy has switched to become employee owned as it celebrates a landmark anniversary in 2024.
Birmingham-based Wyatt International, which has always been family owned and this year marks 60 years in business, has created a trust for the benefit of all employees.
Joining Karen Bernie as trustee directors are group account director Ben Baker-Hollyhead, brand and strategy director Simon Hall and senior PR and content manager Adam Jones.
Chosen by the Edgbaston-based agency’s senior leadership and staff, each trustee has taken on new responsibilities to support the business in its transition and future growth.
WEST MIDLANDS BUSINESS NEWS REVIEW OF 2023 Chief executive Karen Bernie said: “Wyatt has been a family-owned business for approaching 60 years.
“Originally owned by the Wyatt family, my father Brian Barrett acquired the agency in the 1970s and I am immensely proud of the flourishing agency he built.
“I was delighted to join him in the 1990s and I have been at the helm for 34 years. The decision to transition to employee-ownership is part of our long-term succession strategy and creates new leadership opportunities for our entire team, some of whom have been with the agency for many years.
“From a personal perspective, the fact that Wyatt is now employee-owned means a great deal to me. For six decades, we have been family-run and steadfastly independent and now this legacy will continue as we enter a new chapter.
“Our employees are our family – their dedication to this business makes each and every one a worthy co-owner of Wyatt.
Email newsletters
BusinessLive is your home for business news from across the West Midlands including Birmingham, the Black Country, Solihull, Coventry and Staffordshire.
Click through here to sign up for our email newsletter and also view the broad range of other bulletins we offer including weekly sector-specific updates.
We will also send out ‘Breaking News’ emails for any stories which must be seen right away.
For all the latest stories, views and polls, follow our BusinessLive West Midlands LinkedIn page here.
“My vision is that the business stays true to its roots and continues to be home to each of them to benefit their own families until our centenary and beyond.”
Managing director Mark Fones added: “Our transition to an employee-owned business is a real milestone.
“This evolution is about ensuring the ongoing benefits of independence, protecting our brand equity and securing long-term succession, and success, for generations to come.”
Story Saved
You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.