Our Story
From a small office and a big mission, Brightsmith was born.
Brightsmith was founded in London in 2019 by Tommy Bright, Jenny Gladman, and Adam Smith, three people united by a clear mission: to play an active role in building a cleaner, more sustainable world for their children. What started as a bold idea quickly turned into a thriving impact-driven business.
From the very beginning, we set out to build something different. A people-first executive search firm rooted in relationships, not transactions. One that took pride in its human approach, understanding what truly motivates individuals and what organisations need to thrive. Even then, we knew it wasn’t just about building teams; it was about building communities with a shared purpose of driving long-term meaningful change.
By 2020, the foundations had been laid. We had begun making our mark across the UK and Europe, placing values-led leaders across the energy value chain. In 2021, our ambitions went global. We opened our first US office in Texas, expanding our reach across the Americas. That same year, we launched Conversations in Cleantech, our podcast platform designed to spotlight voices from across the sustainability ecosystem and share the stories shaping the energy transition.
As our team grew, so did our expertise. By 2023, we had built a diverse, cross-functional search capability spanning strategy, operations, finance, legal, commercial, technology, and engineering. With projects now underway across Africa and Southeast Asia, our global footprint was matched by our integrated market view, spanning geographies, sectors, and the full energy value chain.
In 2024, we proudly became B Corp certified, formalising our commitment to people, planet, and purpose. Our deep sector expertise and unwavering dedication to DE&I helped us unlock access to underrepresented leadership and fuel innovation through inclusion. We continued to support mission-driven organisations to scale with the right leadership at every stage.
By design, we remained senior-led. Our inverted pyramid model placed global business leaders at the forefront of every search, bringing strategic insight, consistent evaluation, and seamless execution. Each candidate was assessed through a shared framework, with a single point of accountability and a perspective aligned with our clients’ principles. Behind them, a world-class team of researchers enabled us to work at depth, truly understanding our clients, their goals, and the mandates we take on.
As we look to 2025, Brightsmith is a global team, working across four continents with offices in London and Austin. Our engagement model remains rooted in aligned principles. We take the time to deeply assess the organisations we represent and the talent we introduce, ensuring both journeys align. We focus on long-term partnerships and we measure our success by the impact our appointed leaders go on to make.
Let’s Build Something That Matters
Whether you’re hiring, looking, or exploring what’s next, Brightsmith is here to help you live your purpose, with people who share it.