our story.
My goal in founding Lawson│Brooke was to build an Executive Search firm better aligned to the early-stage tech space, one that is flexible in approach, truly delivery focused, and reflects the values, cultures, and behaviours of the start-up world.
Kelvin Jones
Founder & Managing Director
about.
Lawson│Brooke is the Talent Acquisition Partner of choice for high-growth, high-tech organisations and their investors. Operating across both the European and US talent markets, we have extensive experience building and advising the leadership teams of Venture Capital & Private Equity backed technology companies. Working with some of the fastest moving businesses in the world, we have delivered Board, C-Suite, VP and Director level searches in a wide range of business functions and geographies, on behalf of the smallest Seed stage start-ups to multi-national businesses preparing to IPO.
​
We believe passionately in delighting our clients and pride ourselves on the longevity of relationships we form. This is achieved through the comprehensive and live executive networks we actively maintain. Wherever possible, we continually seek to add value to the connections we make, be that in the form of brokering informal introductions beyond the scope of our commercial engagements, or providing the latest market intelligence.
It is this underlying desire to proactively furnish our connections with that little bit extra in anticipation of their needs that sets Lawson│Brooke apart, ensures our networks thrive and keeps us relevant.
​
what we do.
Executive Talent Acquisition
Our mission is to provide our clients and their investors with the right solution at the right time, at a pace in line with their phase of growth and transformation. We operate a flexible model to executive talent acquisition. Our team will either operate as dedicated Executive Search Partners, or work alongside you onsite to deliver critical talent transformation projects.
This approach enables our clients to achieve their strategic business goals and investors’ growth targets, whilst delivering intensive transformation through the talent we bring them. Our commercial on-site agreements are structured to incentivise over-delivery ensuring both client and partner achieve maximum value.
Learn more about our offerings.
offerings.
Retained Executive Search
Lawson|Brooke Retained Executive Search projects only target candidates with the relevant knowledge, skills and experience that meet the candidate brief. This means you will only interview candidates able to add immediate value to your business. An Executive Search project extends your reach and engages passively seeking candidates, thereby greatly increasing your ability to hire only the very best talent. Our extensive networks allow us to verify candidates' accomplishments and deliver assignments in tight timeframes.
Talent Business Partner
During particularly intensive periods of growth or transformation, Lawson|Brooke Talent Business Partners will work alongside you either remotely, onsite or in a hybrid capacity to deliver critical talent acquisition projects. Our commercial on-site agreements incentivize over-delivery, ensuring maximum value for both clients and partners.
Active Talent Network
Lawson|Brooke's Active Talent Network is a community of high calibre Business Leadership, GTM and Technical talent from across the early-stage tech sector. Members are immediately available and actively seeking their next opportunity. They have been interviewed and assessed by the team at Lawson|Brooke, endorsed by us and our extensive referral networks. Subscribers to the network access the community via our portal, where they can view members' profiles and request an introduction.
meet the team.
"I love to be in the hills with a map and a compass"
Lawson|Brooke Founder and MD, Kelvin Jones, has an acute understanding of the challenges faced by high growth start-ups wanting to scale internationally and needing to attract the best possible talent. He set up Lawson│Brooke specifically to meet this need. Having supported some of the tech industry’s fastest scaling businesses, he was determined to create an Executive Search firm better aligned for the space - one that is more flexible in approach, truly delivery focused, and reflects the values, cultures and behaviours of the start-up world.
Renowned for going the extra mile for clients, and a recognised expert in Business & GTM leadership appointments, Kelvin benefits from a 20+ year career in executive recruitment across the length and breadth of the tech sector, during which time he has helped build some of the most successful boutique technology search firms. Notably, he helped take Erevena from 5 – 50 employees globally and drove the expansion of Hanover Matrix into Scandinavia, establishing and running the company’s hub from Stockholm. Additionally, Kelvin obtained valuable experience in the Technology Practice at the global ‘big 5’ search firm Korn/Ferry.
Kelvin’s early career was an Officer in the British Army. Having trained at the Royal Academy Sandhurst, a globally renowned training ground for developing leadership and management skills, he continued to serve for ten years, reaching the rank of Captain.
​
As a Heropreneur Mentor, Kelvin supports leavers transition from military service and achieve success in the world of tech, equipping new entrepreneurs with the practical skills to achieve their business ambitions.
"I once sang to a sold out Royal Albert Hall"
Lucy benefits from >10 years in Executive Recruitment, for multi-national recruitment companies, top tier and mid-sized boutique Executive Search firms, as well as running two of her own recruitment businesses.
​
While the bulk of her recruitment career has centred on placing technical leaders into the tech sector, as part of the founding team of Lawson|Brooke, her work has expanded to include Board and GTM leadership positions. In addition to recruiting for external clients, Lucy also operated as a Head of Talent Europe helping expand Harvey Nash Executive Search (now Alumni) across Europe.
​
Adjacent to her recruitment career, and leveraging her marketing skills, Lucy grew a community of technology Founders and CEOs for the European Leadership Programme, a provider of professional development to Tech start-ups across Europe and Scandinavia.
​
Lucy‘s passion and expertise in Developer Marketing, and her reputation for placing the top talent in Developer Relations globally, is widely recognised and she is regularly invited to speak at industry events.
​
With a Professional Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), Lucy owns Marketing for Lawson│Brooke including our branding, website, online presence, events, partnerships, sponsorships and all marketing collateral.
​
Keen to share her passion for technology with the next generation, Lucy also enjoyed a 10-year career in Education where she sought to ignite pupils with a curiosity for technology and advised schools in their design and delivery of a Computing curriculum using the best of breed EdTech available.
Michael Hickcox
Partner
"There's always time to appreciate a fine wristwatch."
Michael benefits from almost two decades executive search experience, initially at Heidrick & Struggles in the Bay Area and Erevena in London, before founding his own Boutique Search firm, Expedition Search.
​
Previously, Michael worked at Yahoo! and in strategy at McDonald’s, where he co-led the team that created the successful Redbox business, now owned by Coinstar. He began his career in management consulting and at a high-tech firm in the UK.
​
Michael holds a BA with Honours in Economics from Kenyon College and an MBA from Stanford University.
Caroline Berry
Director
"My happy place is the French Alps, but if pushed, then any ski resort will do!"
Caroline Berry has over twenty years in executive search, garnered within the broader tech industry.
​
Caroline has a wealth of experience working with enterprise technology businesses ranging from hyper-growth Series A firms all the way through to public tech companies. With a perennial focus on front office leadership roles, Caroline has helped grow the leadership teams of both UK/Europe-based and US head-quartered tech businesses.
​
Caroline has extensive experience of working across North America and Europe in addition to being fluent in French. She holds a BA Hons from the University of Leeds in French with Italian.
Kris Geerds
Director
"Life's too short not to walk dogs and cuddle cats!"
Kris Geerds has more than twenty five years experience in executive search. Kris started her search career at Heidrick & Struggles and Korn Ferry. She subsequently worked in house at Disney, Juniper Networks, and Good Data.
Based on the West Coast in the US, Kris specializes across the technology spectrum.
​
Kris holds a BFA in theatre arts from the United States International University.
Cooper
Chief Happiness Officer
"Better to seek forgiveness than ask for permission."
Cooper has the raw ‘pawtential’ to transform the wellbeing of those around him. Fiercely intelligent, his bark is not as bad as his bite, yet Cooper takes his role as Chief Happiness Officer very seriously – his happiness that is. Highly adaptable, Cooper can switch his boundless energy ON/OFF without warning. While Cooper radiates warmth (and aromas) to all those around him, he is also a magnet for mischief such as molesting the mail. He brings with him a lifetime’s experience in digging, rummaging in undergrowth, eating, sleeping, and being made a fuss of.
​
Academic History: Cooper holds a ‘pedigree’ in looking cute