The Nursery becomes employee-owned

Brand, communications and experience specialist The Nursery announced today (19th November 2020) its conversion to employee ownership with immediate effect. The move sees ownership transferred to a Trust set up for the benefit of all employees. 

Founded in 2001, The Nursery has seen double digit growth in recent years and acquired experience and data specialist Arkenford in 2018. The now-merged business boasts a range of blue-chip clients including Subway, National Trust, Google, Prudential and Direct Line. In the year to December 2019 it reported turnover of £6.45m with 36 employees.

Its majority shareholders – co-founders Lucy Banister and Peter Dann, and David Alterman who joined in 2007 to launch its quant offer – have sold 100% of their shares to the Employee Ownership Trust but will remain in the business. Senior managers Pauline McGowan, Ben Moxon and Pete Canning join the Board along with Finance Director Neil Barnett. Moxon and Canning lead the Quant teams and Gareth Simmonds continues to lead the Qual team; Business Director Melanie Bigoni joined in April to head up Operations and Business Development. 

Commenting on the move, CEO Peter Dann said “The people that work here have always been what makes this business so special, delivering expert insight to a wide range of great clients. Handing ownership over to them feels like the right thing to do; it also makes good business sense as we have a brilliant leadership team and a great group of researchers who’ll be even more engaged in the success of their business as well as their clients’."

The Nursery was advised on the process by Lewis Silkin LLP and SI Partners