NEW YORK, NEW YORK, 28th January 2008 -- Roddy Gow, Chairman of Gow & Partners World Team is pleased to announce that Houghton Phillips, a London based Executive Search firm has joined the firm’s growing network, working  under one international brand to service global clients.  This new addition continues the strategic, focused expansion of the firm.

Houghton Phillips was founded in 2002 by Gary Johnson, specialising in Financial Services with a focus in executive appointments across Risk, Compliance, Governance and Finance.  The firm’s value proposition of delivering to clients personalised executive search solutions within a long-term relationship has been a formula for success. A significant proportion of HP’s business includes multiple mandates from clients with whom they have already worked. Their portfolio of clients is comprised of FTSE 100 companies  to start up companies.

“We are delighted to have Gary Johnson and his team at Houghton Phillips joining Gow & Partners World Team.  His firm’s particular expertise in meeting client needs in the important middle and back office areas adds another link and strength to our global capability to provide an outstanding service our clients. Gary and I have worked together in the past and I am very glad to be able to do so again”, commented Roddy Gow, Chairman and Founder.

Gary Johnson’s international search experience has spanned 20 years, covering the sectors of Financial Services, Professional Practice and Commerce & Industry. Within Financial Services his expertise ranges from Retail and Investment Banking to Insurance, Venture Capital and Hedge Funds. He has executed searches in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South Africa and Bermuda.  He began his career in executive search with Douglas Llambias Associates where he became a Board Director responsible for the firm’s combined European Commerce & Industry and Financial Services practices. He also spent 4 years with a leading London search firm Harrison Willis (later bought by TMP) from 1989 to 1993, running Commerce & Industry and Financial Services.  In 2000, he joined Odgers Ray & Berndtson as a partner of the Financial Services practice, responsible for the development of search and selection.  In 2002, he founded Houghton Phillips in London.

“I am delighted to be joining Gow & Partners World Team where I am confident our particular expertise will add real value to the needs of Global Clients. Financial services functions across all time zones and cannot be approached in geographical isolation. I look forward to working with Roddy Gow again and the highly professional, international group of colleagues he has assembled”, said Gary Johnson in London.

Gow & Partners World Team, founded in 2002, is a premier global executive search firm specializing in the recruitment of key senior executives and board of director members for international clients. Headquartered in New York with a network of offices in London, Chicago, Houston, Washington DC, Brussels, Istanbul, Paris, Hong Kong and Johannesburg, the firm offers clients in-depth local market intelligence and provides value added advice and world class candidates globally.