LONDON — Reputation management consultancy Lansons has made significant changes to its ownership structure, in the next phase of its transformation plans.

Co-founders Clare Parsons and Tony Langham have reduced their combined stake in the Limited Liability Partnership business from 68% to 24%, and 27 members of the Lansons team have bought a further 44% of the consultancy, meaning the business is now majority-owned by employees. In total, 33 people now have a stake in Lansons.

Chief executive Gordon Tempest-Hay, the former Teneo and Blue Rubicon CEO who joined Lansons in January, will become a partner with a significant stake this year, reducing Langham and Parsons’ stakes further.

Langham said: “After over 30 years running the firm and owning a majority stake, Clare and I worked with our senior colleagues to transform the business and give Lansons a platform for major success over the next decade. Gordon has joined and is transforming the firm’s leadership and strategy. We’ve overhauled the firm’s governance, but the key was to also transform ownership. The LLP is now owned by 33 people, with no individual owning more than 20% – we believe in responsible inclusive capitalism and have tried to deliver that with these changes”.

He added “This also means that when Gordon is looking to recruit senior talent to the firm over the coming months, he will be able to offer the prospect of significant ownership to future colleagues”.

On behalf of the senior team, joint MD Laura Hastings said “The business was founded on a true sense of partnership, and we’ve always believed that our breadth of ownership means we are more closely tied to both our people but also the success of our clients. It’s fantastic so many partners have taken up the opportunity to own more of the business as we enter this exciting new chapter for Lansons.”

The 27 partners purchasing shares in the LLP include six new partners. Langham said: “It’s always a special moment when we welcome new partners and each of the new six make a significant contribution to Lansons’ business”.