60 Years of ODGERS: Six Decades of Leadership, Trust and Vision
For 60 years, ODGERS has been helping organisations make one of their most important decisions: appointing leaders who shape businesses and organisations for the long term. What began in 1966 with the founding of Berndtson International in Brussels, alongside the development of Odgers International in London, has evolved into a globally leading executive search and leadership advisory firm with deep market knowledge, international connectivity and strong local expertise.
In Germany, ODGERS has been present since 1971, with offices in Frankfurt and Munich. For more than five decades, we have supported companies, family-owned businesses, investors and organisations in appointing senior executives and advising on leadership, succession and organisational development. Throughout this journey, one principle has remained unchanged: to truly understand people, markets and businesses – and to enable sustainable leadership decisions.
We celebrated this milestone together with clients, long-standing partners and colleagues at our 60th anniversary event in Frankfurt.
A special highlight of the evening was the visit of our Global CEO, Kester Scrope, who travelled from London to join the celebrations. In his address, he reflected on ODGERS' evolution into a globally connected advisory firm and emphasised that lasting success is built on long-term relationships, trust and excellence in client service.
The Managing Partners of ODGERS Germany, Katja Hanns-Terrill and Emanuel Pfister, also reflected on the company's journey in Germany. They paid tribute to the people who have shaped ODGERS over the decades – colleagues, partners and clients alike – and highlighted that the firm's strength lies in combining decades of experience, deep market insight and a trusted, partnership-based approach to executive search and leadership advisory.
The evening's keynote, "Leading through Uncertainty", delivered by Anja Blacha, provided a powerful perspective on leadership in times of change. Drawing on her experiences from some of the world's most challenging expeditions, she demonstrated how clarity, trust, adaptability and courage enable leaders to stay on course and guide their teams successfully, even in the most demanding circumstances.
The anniversary celebration was not only an opportunity to reflect on six successful decades, but also to look ahead. The discussions throughout the evening reinforced that while markets, organisations and leadership requirements continue to evolve, ODGERS' commitment remains unchanged: helping clients identify the leaders who will shape the future through trusted advice, deep market expertise and a truly global network.
With decades of experience, strong connections across industries and international reach, we remain committed to supporting our clients in finding the right leaders for tomorrow's challenges.
We would like to thank all our clients, partners and colleagues who celebrated this milestone with us. We look forward to continuing our journey together and writing the next chapter in the story of ODGERS.