If MI6 are looking for the next James Bond, Drayton Partners know where to find him. Have, indeed, met him. This month, Drayton are celebrating their 15th year in business. Not long after starting out, founding partners, Rob Seery and Ian Pickett, were invited to GSK plc’s head office for a brief on a global VP role.
Pickett takes up the story, ‘The security was so tight. While we were queuing, a motorbike rolled up. The rider stripped off his leathers to reveal a pristine pinstripe suit – he looked like a New York lawyer or an investment banker but had arrived by bike for speed. If it wasn’t James Bond, it was James Bond’s twin brother. Subliminally, I think that made us both feel we’re in the big leagues now.’
Seery nods in agreement and recalls a similar moment. ‘In the very early days,’ he says, ‘we were working mainly with HR directors, placing factory general managers and sales directors, in brilliant businesses. Progressively, we began engaging with the investors behind some of these businesses, which felt like a new stage in our journey. I remember a pivotal meeting with a PE firm in a plush office overlooking St Paul’s Cathedral – quite a change from our usual manufacturing units. The room felt like a movie set. Afterwards, we realised we needed to up our game and refine our proposition. Which, I like to think, we did.’
Drayton specialise in the Consumer Sector and have offices in Newcastle and London. As the sector is international, so are the extensive networks they have built up over the last fifteen years. But both Pickett and Seery believe it’s the values they have held onto that have been the key to their success. Primarily, Drayton’s cultural commitment to delivering exceptional service. But something else, too, equally important – maintaining a good sense of humour.
Pickett again, ‘We’ve always aspired to deliver quality service, products, and conversations. Persistence is another key value; we wrestle with things longer than most to get them right. We also value ‘low ego’ and a good sense of humour. The hierarchy here is pretty flat, and all our partners and employees are comfortable sharing a joke.’
Seery backs up Pickett’s point, ‘Yes, we try not to take ourselves too seriously. But, I believe, alongside that, we also offer pragmatism, knowledge, reliability, and a strong track-record. Clients appreciate our sector expertise and the constructive, sensible, conversations we have. Ultimately, we’re here to help solve their problems.’
So, I ask, what made them both want to start their own business?
‘My dad had always worked for himself,’ says Seery, ‘and he experienced both the highs and definitely the lows of running businesses. Maybe that made me want to test myself, but I also knew how tough it could be. Transitioning from a big organisation to a smaller one was hard, but it taught me a lot about adapting and thriving in different environments.’
Pickett, too, had always been interested in becoming an entrepreneur. ‘For me,’ he says, ‘it was about wanting to do something myself. I’ve been interested in business since I was young, buying and selling things for profit, wanting to buy shares as a teenager. Recruitment appealed to my analytical aside because it’s measurable. The vision was to create a reputable, trustworthy company. Not just a business, but a brand with a distinct character.’
Fifteen years is a long time; what, do they think, has been the reason for Drayton’s longevity in such a competitive marketplace? What commercial secrets might a real Bond try to steal from them?
‘We agree on what “good” looks like, but our styles are different” says Pickett. “This reassures the team that decision making isn’t a duopoly – everyone makes vital contributions. Everyone can be themselves and work their own way.’
‘We have also been lucky enough to appoint some fantastic partners who’ve really bought into the Drayton way of doing things, more than that, helped shape it,’ says Seery. ‘Beyond them, Drayton being a sector specialist helps. If you can talk knowledgeably about a client’s process, product, or customers, you gain credibility. We’re good judges of talent and combine industry expertise with an understanding of what makes a suitable candidate.’
Back in 2010, when Drayton Partners started out, the iPhone was only three years old, social media marketing still finding its feet, and, now well-established, trends like ethical consumerism nascent. What other changes have they noticed?
‘The rise of direct-to-consumer sales is huge,’ says Seery ‘One of the biggest cosmetic retailers in the UK is now TikTok, which is amazing.’
Tellingly, Pickett mentions Robert K. Greenleaf’s theory of ‘Servant Leadership:
‘The shift from hierarchical leadership to servant leadership,’ Pickett says. ‘Fifteen years ago, it was all about suits and hierarchy. Now, leaders who can empathise and listen; understanding and supporting team members’ needs, are much more important.’ The concept seems to epitomise the duo’s own leadership style – approachable and consultative. Something earned, not imposed. In effect, a licence to lead. With no Bondian pin-striped suits in sight.