Rob Fain – joining the Berwick Partners team

I joined Berwick Partners’ IT Leadership practice as Principal Consultant in October 2022, moving from Hays where I had worked for over 12 years. I met a number of people from the Berwick team during the interview process and felt like it would be a positive move for me, allowing me to continue to develop my reputation within senior IT and technology leadership.  

Highlights of my first few months at Berwick Partners include winning my first piece of retained work. It was a great example of the collaborative approach adopted by Berwick and the wider Odgers group, as the client had an established relationship with Odgers Berndtson, and two Berwick consultants had previously placed people within the organisation. I also have had the chance to attend several networking events including the Berwick Partners Midlands IT Leadership Dinner, Odgers Berndtson CIO Drinks Reception, and Rebus – Balance the Board, designed to promote diversity in the Technology sector in partnership with Google and London Business School. I am now actively involved in the planning of our next Midlands event. 

Life at Berwick, outside of the job itself, has involved everything from monthly office anchor days – the chance to get business updates and meet the wider team, over a lunch provided by the company – to attending the company-wide CSR day, which took place during my second week. Our current corporate charity partner is Cancer Research UK; every member of the UK business spent the day working at their local CRUK shop, undertaking all the daily activities of a regular volunteer. This was a wonderful opportunity to provide real, tangible support to the charity, as well as – for me, as a “newbie” – getting to know some of my colleagues across the whole group.  

So far, the organisation and structure of Berwick Partners has exceeded my expectations. It’s been friendly, warm and welcoming, and I feel I have all of the support and resources I need to be successful in the role. Having a PA has been a great benefit – one I’ve not had before – freeing up so much time and allowing me to focus on what I’m here to do. Things I am now looking forward to are building my internal network, as well as meeting new and existing clients and winning more work.