KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

More and more, the business world is about speed, agility and connections. Valuable knowledge is hard to access and, while connectivity makes it easier to acquire than ever, it can bring its own problems. In a world of surface-level experts, there’s an increased emphasis on refinement, accuracy and precision. Which is where AlphaSights comes in.

“We connect people looking for knowledge with those who have it,” says the company’s Global Marketing Lead Mehdi Jaffer. “Information is available to anyone. At the touch of an iPhone you can find facts and data about almost everything. In the future, the premium won’t be on information but on knowledge, ideas and creativity. We help our clients directly access expertise held by people all over the world. These direct conversations allow them to get to answers faster and to generate new ideas.”

A brokerage of Knowledge

How this works in practice is simple yet deceptively specialised. Whether it’s US parking provision or telecoms assets in Uganda, accurately assessing an investment opportunity or a strategic move depends on deep, speedily acquired insights. AlphaSights is probably best regarded as a sort of bespoke brokerage of knowledge.

“We figure out who has the knowledge that is most relevant to what a client needs,” says Jaffer. “Whether it’s a hedge fund manager or a non-profit, there will always be insights that can help top professionals make better decisions. That’s the founding spirit of the firm and it’s underpinned some incredible growth in the last six or seven years. We now have six offices around the world and some 300 people serving clients.”

And the personal touch is an important part of the firm’s appeal – to both clients and prospective employees. “We’re not database-driven,” says Talent Attraction Lead for Europe Claire Powers. “We start every project from scratch and we go straight to the market to search for expert advisors. So we look for natural networkers.” Accordingly, the AlphaSights experience is both intense and rewarding. “Timelines can be short and clients demanding,” says Powers. “But it creates this sort of hum in the office. The people who do well here have a sense of urgency and a lot of energy about them.”

Because of its range and rigour, AlphaSights is the kind of company that will prepare its staff for anything. “Working at AlphaSights helps develop a skill set that will be very relevant in the future,” says Jaffer. “We tend to attract lots of people who are smart and academically strong but who also relish getting things done. Lots of people end up taking an entrepreneurial path and running their own business. Our internal career path is essentially a fast track to commercial leadership.”