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The Knightsbridge Story

Knightsbridge Human Capital Solutions was founded in July of 2001, by David R. Shaw. David believed there was an opportunity to provide organizations with more strategic human capital advice and customized solutions to help improve the capability and productivity of their people for competitive advantage. He envisioned a company of human capital specialists that could provide integrated human capital and talent management solutions.

Historically, human capital consulting firms providing these services were usually small partnerships focused on only one aspect of human capital. Typically owner-operated, these consulting firms provided a limited scope of services and geographic reach with limited ability or motivation to help organizations think more broadly about the human implications of their business strategies, make capital investments in innovation solutions and technologies, or provide growth opportunities for the people that drove their business.

Knightsbridge’s business model is based on three fundamental differences from traditional human capital management (HCM) consulting firms:

Create long-term value for customers and clients by providing integrated services to meet human capital management needs at every stage; from recruitment and selection, to building organizational and leadership capacities, to career management and transition, and in helping companies improve the productivity of their people.
Create value for shareholders investing in the business. Knightsbridge adopted two fundamental goals to create value; to build a professional services firm known for its quality and people while also building a great operating company that measures progress against best-in-market metrics - the combination of which built shareholder value.
Build a sustainable business model with a combination of cyclical (e.g. Search) and counter-cyclical (e.g.. Career Transition) services so that each could be successful and achieve growth and profitability in different economic environments.

David embarked on building this unique full service human capital company, when he acquired KPMG’s Career Consulting practice. From there, he continued to build the company’s expertise in a variety of human capital practices areas by acquiring eight additional firms over the next eight years, and establishing four strategic partnerships outlined in the following chart.

Table 1- A history of successful acquisitions

2001	KPMG Career Consulting	Career transition
2002	Herman Smith Search	Executive search
2002	GSW Consultants	Career transition, organizational and leadership development
2002	Bussandri Macdonald	Assessment, coaching, organizational and leadership capabilities
2006	Enns Partners	Executive search
2008	Belle Isle Djandji	Executive Search
2008	Axsium Group	Workforce Management
2009	LSI	Workforce Management
2009	MICA Consulting Partners	Assessment, coaching, organizational and leadership capabilities

Table 2- A history of successful partnerships

A history of successful partnerships
2005	Lee Hecht Harrison	Career transition
2006	Chally	Predictor
2006	AMROP	Executive Search
2009	Robertson Surrette	Career transition and Executive Search

After only eight years, Knightsbridge is one of Canada’s fastest growing human capital solution companies. The company’s unique integrated model, with its diverse range of services, some of which benefit when the economy is strong and others when it is weak, protect it from fluctuations in the economic cycle and keep its revenue growth stable. The company is on target to achieve its goal of $100 million is the next few years. On February 16, 2010, Knightsbridge was named one of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies.