GK Strategy and sister agency onefourzero hire Justin Ash as chairman

GK Strategy and sister agency onefourzero have appointed Oasis Dental Care’s Justin Ash as its new chairman.

Current CEO Emily Wallace and onefourzero MD Fleur Hicks will continue to lead GK Strategy.

The appointment comes after a strong financial year for GK and onefourzero, which saw the businesses grow by 20% year-on-year – for the seventh consecutive year – and pick up Specialist Advisor of the Year at the Private Equity Awards last week.

Ash said: “I am hugely excited to work with the visionary founders, Luke and Robin, and the expanding high energy, highly skilled GK and onefourzero teams.

“I will be helping the businesses lay out and deliver an ambitious road map of growth and expansion in the years ahead as well as further strengthening their respective propositions, especially for the private equity community.

“Much of my leadership experience has been gained in highly regulated, health markets. These are challenging but rewarding environments to work in. Businesses that are most successful gather objective, fact-based analysis of risk and are proactive in contributing to the ever-changing regulatory framework. GK’s consulting arm excel in doing this evidence-based engagement.

“GK’s political risk advisory and diligence service and sister digital agency, onefourzero, are innovating in the support of private equity sponsors in the deal process. I am struck by the unique approach onefourzero take in digital profiling and there are very few types of business that onefourzero and GK are not working with. That variety and leading edge practice is extremely exciting.”

Wallace added: “Justin’s appointment is a really exciting moment for GK and onefourzero – his commercial experience and expertise will be invaluable in guiding us on our path to future sustained growth. We pride ourselves in being a really agile business that loves to offer new and challenging services to the markets we work in.”