Advice Expands its Group of Partners with Seven Key Employees

"As part of our culture and strategy, it is significant for us to be a dynamically partner-driven company. We believe that sharing ownership among a broad group of key employees is the most effective tool to ensure that Advice remains in constant development in an ever-changing world," explains Mille Klink, CEO of Advice.

"Therefore, I am incredibly pleased that we have recently taken a significant step in fulfilling our desire for active partners with the expansion of the partner group by seven strong colleagues," she continues.

The seven new partners are Merete Arentoft (Partner &Executive Director, Agendas & Stakeholders), Anders Lunde Røge (Partner &Director of Film Production), Rikke Østergaard (Partner &Executive Director, Branding & Marketing), Ulla Langeland Elk (CFO & Partner), Sara Engelhardt (Partner &Director, Branding & Marketing), Anna Louise Henrichsen (Partner &Director, Public Affairs & Sustainability), and Mark Mikael Müller (Partner &Creative Director).

Though Advice now has 18 owners, the agencyonce had sole ownership,founded in 1991 by Jesper Højbjerg Christensen. In 2007, Jesper initiated a generational shift. He brought in three new partners, who, at the time, laid the foundation and principles for the ownership model that has contributed to Advice's growth and success over the years.

"We are a people business, and therefore, the value should also go to those who take long-term responsibility for developing the company. A broad and active partner group is not only attractive for partners; it impacts everyone when those who ultimately make the major decisions are part of everyday life. They have a deep understanding of the business, the culture, colleagues, and customers. They comprehend why things go up and sometimes go down. They have invested their own money in the project. Hence they fight for the value of their investment and their workplace. This leads to greater and more long-term dedication and a more holistic view of the company," says Espen Højlund, who was involved in designing the current partner program when he became a partner in 2007, subsequently serving as CEO for 13 years and now as a strategic director and board member.

Access pertains to both value creation and values as Advice grows and takes new strategic steps. There is essentially nomaximum limit on the number of partners.

"The admission ticket to becoming a partner is contributing critical value to the company in terms of sales and business development, leadership, or professional expertise. However, the most important aspect is that the owners share fundamental values and perspectives on Advice's development, allowing us to stand as a strong collective behind important strategic decisions," adds Espen Højlund.

Advice has put a lot of effort into both the partner program's soft and complex aspects to ensure it is balanced and provides the desired value to the entire company.

"Our experience is that for a partnership to be valuable, careful consideration must be given to the incentives and stimuli it creates. Therefore, we have a highly structured partner program that ensures the partnership is financially substantial enough to matter while also being financially accessible. It should be easy to admit and bid farewell to owners, and everyone should know what to expect when buying and selling. Most importantly, partnership should providereal strategic influence without impeding daily management agility," concludes Mille Klink.