When we set up Consilium in 2013 we didn’t know what the future would hold, but we knew we wanted to build Europe’s leading healthcare focused agency. We’d identified a gap in the market and we knew in our hearts we could fill it and create something really different and special.
We had great dreams and aspirations, we knew what we wanted Consilium to be and stand for: we wanted to build an agency dedicated to healthcare that didn’t rest on its laurels, that served our clients with energy, drive, dedication and created excellent results. That listened to our clients and our employees and tailored our service and company, exactly to their needs. Importantly we wanted to create a company where our employees could thrive and have fun all whilst being relentlessly focused on outstanding client service.
I’m proud to say that ten years on we have achieved that. We are now the leading agency for healthcare strategic financial PR in Europe. But we never wanted to stop at that, those laurels were never going to get rested on. We knew there were barriers to us giving our clients the sterling service internationally that they needed and deserved, but without compromising on the essence that had made Consilium so successful.
But how can we retain that essence as the business expands to become ICR Consilium and how can we stay true to that same vision for the next ten years?
The answer: always being guided by our values: Driven, Plugged In, Full of Life and Caring.
A company’s values aren’t the emotive words people put on walls or websites to tick a box, they are how a company acts when nobody is looking. They are what a company lives by in tough times as well as good. They become your compass and your yardstick to measure progress and they are what will make us successful for the next ten years.
Our drive to succeed for our clients and our company is central, this is truly in our DNA and in ICR we saw the same drive and desire to deliver exceptional results, always. A telling mark of anyone brilliant in our business is their addiction to client work. ICR’s founders Tom Ryan and Don Duffy despite running a business of over $160m in revenue, still advise and work directly with clients – their desire to deliver excellent results has not waned, and this will be central to our next 10 years. With the support of ICR’s incredible back office, our senior team can focus even more on doing what we do best: advising clients.
As many people know, being plugged in to what the market is saying and thinking is critical as we shape the stories and profiles of our clients. With ICR we now have 100+ ears to the ground in healthcare and a further 300+ from other sectors – this treasure trove of knowledge and experience will be critical as we navigate these choppy markets and manage the many ups and downs of markets to come.
If anyone had earwigged on to our calls with ICR throughout the transaction they’d have been wondering what on earth our game strategy was – our calls couldn’t have been more full of life from the get-go, with a lot of banter, laughter and fun trying to decipher each other’s lexicon. (I will find it hard not to laugh at “yacht rock” and I am still in disbelief at the absence of AOB and fortnight in US parlance…)
The ability to not take yourself too seriously, to laugh and enjoy work with your clients and colleagues, all whilst working incredibly hard, I believe, has been a huge part of our success and will continue to be over the next ten years. Having a partner in ICR who understood that and got stuck in right from the get-go was immensely important to us given our clients are at the heart of everything we do.
And that leaves caring. When I Co-founded Consilium in 2013 my beloved Mum had literally just passed away from cancer. I remember some of my early meetings with oncology clients having to leave the room as I realised that the incredible innovation they were bringing through trials would never bring back my wonderful Mum. ICR also navigated life changing news in the beginning, with two Co-founders passing away to cancer early on, as well as the wife of President Don Duffy. As sad as this is to all of us, it instils in you an empathy and understanding of life that never leaves you. It is something that my wonderful business partner Mary-Jane has in spades and it’s why our team and culture has been such an important part of our success. ICR’s commitment to its people mirrors ours and this support, care and consideration of each other and our clients will stay with us right into the next decade.
So, as we enter this exciting new chapter as ICR Consilium, we again look forward to the adventures that the future holds. With our values strongly intact and a US partner by our side who lives them too, we know we’re going to have a lot of success and fun together.
