Major consultancy firm becomes employee owned

The 450 employee firm is now majority owned by Hollis Global Trust Company Ltd on behalf of its employees, under the new Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) structure.

Senior partner John Woodman will continue in his current role with a new title as Chairman, with existing managing partner Alex Brown changing title to Managing Director. All remaining partners will take up roles as directors.  The business continues to trade as Hollis.
 
Hollis, which posted a turnover of over £40 mln for the year ending 30 April 2021, has over 20 offices across the UK, Ireland, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands. In order to allow the move to an EOT, the company first switched from an LLP to a limited company, which took place on 01 October 2021, and the purchase of the Ltd company by the EOT completed three weeks later.
 
Hollis was founded by Malcolm Hollis in 1991.  John Woodman joined in the same year and subsequently acquired the business in 1994. The business has remained independent throughout that time, growing from a team of three surveyors specialising in dilapidations and technical due diligence, to a team of almost 450 multi-disciplined experts, including surveyors, engineers, technical specialists, environmental and ESG consultants and project managers.
 
Chairman John Woodman said: 'Hollis has always prided itself on its independence and as being a business that creates opportunities and supports the progression of its team. Over the last few years we have had to consider the future of Hollis and its ownership, ensuring that there are plans in place for a sustainable future that will allow for continued opportunities, progression and succession as well as protect our clients. This move will enable everyone who has helped build and develop Hollis over a number of years to participate in the future growth and success of the business. We strongly believe that introducing the EOT structure will have a positive effect on the ability of the business to grow.'