Berkeley believed passionately then (as it does now) that this was not so; that clients yearn for trusted advisers; people who they know, who are the best in their field and who come to any situation with only their clients’ interests at heart.
Berkeley was ambitious from the start. They wanted to be held in the highest regard; not by the average, but by the most successful, the most challenging, organisations. And they wanted to attract the best people - to be the career pinnacle for the most talented consultants.
From the outset Berkeley had an invaluable asset – a deep and long-standing relationship with a major UK retailer, Marks & Spencer. The success of this relationship attracted attention, and in 1994 Berkeley was asked to help in the creation of the National Lottery Charities Board – the forerunner of the Big Lottery Fund. From a standing start, over 18 months, the largest grant-making organisation in the world was built.
Berkeley’s next role was at the centre of the turnaround at Liffe. This project had profound implications not just for Liffe itself, but for London as Europe’s financial centre. In 2001, Berkeley started working with one of the world's largest energy groups. The relationship has grown strongly since then, and Berkeley continues to support this client on its most substantial projects. The NHS followed, with Berkeley helping to bring a clinical voice to the massive changes in the Health Service. These challenges were interspersed by many other great clients along the way.
Meanwhile Berkeley, as a consultancy, has burgeoned. Experienced and exceptionally able people continue to work in a highly distinctive and supportive way, with both colleagues and an ever-growing client base.
Berkeley knows it still has a long way to go. But it’s enormously proud of what it has achieved so far. Despite the early cynicism, Berkeley looks back at 1990 as being a very good year.