Our Story
History provides perspective.
Future inspires opportunity.
Korn Ferry’s beginnings
Korn Ferry was founded in Los Angeles by
Lester B. Korn and
Richard M. Ferry
Korn Ferry started in a small office in Century City,
Los Angeles; one phone, one assistant, and a coveted Rolodex of contacts. But the name on the door said everything: Korn/Ferry International - a vision of
being global.
From our earliest days, Korn Ferry had a strong
vision of looking to what was possible.
1997 - 2008
New initiatives lift off
Futurestep, Korn Ferry's internet-based recruitment service targeted at professionals
who were not the typical target of executive recruiting, is launched.
1998
2000
Korn Ferry launches e-Korn Ferry,
the first online executive center for
job candidates.
2008
Our research and analytics arm,
Korn Ferry Institute, is first established,
to share intelligence and expert points
of view on talent and leadership.
2009 - 2015
Growing through acquisition
2006-2010
During this time, Korn Ferry acquired
Lominger, Newman Group, LeaderSource,
Lore, Whitehead Mann, Sensa,
Global Novations, PDI Ninth House,
and Pivot Leadership.
Each acquisition pushed Korn Ferry forward, providing
a foothold into new areas of Talent Consulting, not just Executive Search. The firm expanded its offerings in
Executive and Leadership Development, Coaching,
Diversity & Inclusion, and Talent Management Products,
as well as reaching into new regions to become more
global than it had been before.
2015
Korn Ferry unites with Hay Group, the
largest global, independent premier
Human Resources consultancy, creating
a combined firm with the ability to
address the entire talent continuum.
2016 - TODAY
2017
Launch of Korn Ferry Advance, our business-to-consumer offering
Korn Ferry Acquires TwentyEighty Companies.
The combination brought a world-class portfolio of learning, development, and performance improvement offerings and expertise to Korn Ferry, bolstering the firm’s substantial leadership development capabilities.
Looking to the future
2019
PGA TOUR announces Korn Ferry as umbrella sponsor of newly named Korn Ferry Tour
1969
Jump to year
1969
1997-2008
2009-2015
2016-TODAY
Hay Group worked closely with organizations globally on all aspects of the people agenda. Like Korn Ferry, Hay Group had robust IP—as well as some of the most comprehensive leadership, reward, and assessment databases.
With this acquisition, Korn Ferry's Advisory business was doubled in size and took on a much more global scale.
Miller Heiman Group specialized in transforming sales performance and customer experience. AchieveForum offered frontline leadership development. Strategy Execution provided organizational and project management training.
The addition of these three companies further expanded Korn Ferry’s vast intellectual property and content, leveraging the firm’s digital delivery platforms and provided clients direct access to data, insights, and analytics from one of the world’s most comprehensive people and organizational databases.
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Korn Ferry acquires Lucas Group, a leading professional search and contract staffing firm. Not only enhancing Korn Ferry’s already industry-leading search portfolio but offering areas of additional specialization. Such as accounting & finance, human resources, information technology, legal, military transition, sales & marketing, and supply chain & operations.
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2021
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Korn Ferry acquires Patina Solutions
Group, a leading interim solutions firm. Patina provides senior level professional
and executive interim solutions to the
private equity manufacturing, healthcare, food & consumer packaged goods and professional services markets.
2022
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Launch of Korn Ferry Advance, our business-to-consumer offering
2017
