HLM Architects and Llewelyn Davies are marking 2021 with the transition to an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), effective immediately. The move means 100% of the shareholding has been placed into a Trust, putting its future firmly in the hands of its employees.
Last year, HLM Architects scooped Architecture Practice of the Year in the Building Awards 2020, which celebrates top performing companies and best practice across the built environment. HLM Architects was also named the coveted AJ100 Employer of the Year, which recognises the best practice for employees, assessing issues such as staff satisfaction, workplace culture, benefits and staff turnover.
Llewelyn Davies has more than six decades of experience in healthcare, aviation, and master-planning. Last year, they were successfully appointed Lead Architects for the design of the new ‘Our Hospital’ project in Jersey, the Channel Islands. Llewelyn Davies also recently scooped the International African and Arabia Best Public Service Architecture Award for New Terminal West, Aeroport d’Alger in Algiers.
HLM Architects Chair Richard O’Neil said:
“Our people-centric practice has a special culture fostering our heritage and focusing on our future. So, it is a natural progression in transferring ownership for the benefit of the people who are committed to our success – our staff. The Trust enables everyone to play an even bigger role in shaping the future of our practice and share in our collective success. Our employee ownership is far more than just a business model. It’s about creating a place where we can continue to channel ideas, be truly innovative and find solutions to ensure that we don’t just do well, but that we also do good – for the benefit of each other, our clients and the communities we work with, as well as our environment.”
Steve Featherstone, Director, Llewelyn Davies, said:
“Over the last few decades, we have been on a remarkable journey that now comes together as part of our evolution to an employee-owned trust, which will provide a platform for further growth and development. This people-centric approach is a natural next step that is exciting to see, and will no doubt result in a stronger, more resilient practice built around teamwork.”