Vantaggi
The firm ranks externally as one of the leading UK search firms. A (relatively small) number of consultants do interesting, high quality and important work. If you're considering working there make sure you spend a lot of time interviewing/meeting with the person/people with whom you'll be directly working.
Svantaggi
I worked for Odgers Berndtson for a number of years as a consultant. When I joined it had a culture that reflected its then CEO Richard Boggis-Rolfe: traditional, if not slightly old-fashioned, courteous and decent. Under his successor, the firm has pushed to be, and be seen as, modern and thrusting. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a sea-change in corporate culture to one that is grasping, aggressive and, shamefully, in many aspects bullying and threatening. From a corporate perspective this is witnessed primarily in partners and consultants falling over themselves to try to take business from each other and, worse, from junior members of staff. But on a personal level it is seen in downright abusive behaviour, a number of examples of which have seen consultants leave the firm or be censured (although, unsurprisingly, not the firm’s higher billers!). The firm is keen to trumpet buzzwords and PR-speak about diversity and inclusion yet does little in practical terms to promote and support those ideals. Sadly, a number of the worst examples of bullying managers are female, with passive aggression a common tactic for those safe in the knowledge that their gender seemingly protects them from reproach. The CEO and COO appear completely disinterested in putting a stop to this.