We are continuing to monitor official advice and the global position on a daily basis, in close liaison with our clients and teams in all locations. Our priority remains the well-being of our people, our relationships and our commitment to the long-term sustainability of our sector.
Our story
Sionic unites three firms – Catalyst, Knadel and Sionic Advisors – with a common commitment and a proud track record of more than 25 years of delivering outstanding expertise to financial services clients worldwide.
Our different histories do not divide us: they are part of who we are now. Together, our global track record of achievement enables us to advise clients with informed understanding, as well as technical expertise.
Wherever we work, we share common values and an enduring commitment to expertise and to people: our colleagues and our clients alike.
These are some of the key moments in our story, so far.
Key moments
2021
Sionic accelerates its strategic ambitions to become the pre-eminent supplier of business, operations and people development services to the world’s leading banks and financial institutions.
We start the year with the appointment of ‘pace-setter’ Mark Humphries as our new Chairman:
Sionic Chairman Mark Humphries
And we continue to be awarded prestigious industry commendations.
Sionic Managing Partner Gilly Green wins the Leading Individual Advisor award in the Ninth Annual European Wealth Briefing Awards 2021, in which her team are also highly commended alongside a pioneering new initiative from Sionic’s client lifecycle management colleagues.
Sionic Managing Partner John Byrne and Sionic Director Sharde McCorkle are both shortlisted in the inaugural Asset Servicing Times Industry Excellence Awards.
Sionic Chief Marketing Officer Sue Primmer is shortlisted for the CityWealth – Powerwomen of the Year 2022 – Champion of the Year.
2020
Despite everything 2020 threw at the world, Sionic has another successful year, pivoting seamlessly to remote working and digital delivery, winning new clients, new business – and industry accolades.
Led by Sionic Managing Partner Peter Stone, Sionic’s specialist Learning & Development team secures formal accreditation from the leading global professional body for bankers, The Chartered Banker Institute, for two of our key leadership programmes.
Sionic Managing Partner Gilly Green leads her expert Wealth Management & Private Banking team to beat off ‘big four’ competition to win the prestigious Best Management Consultancy award in the 8th Annual European WealthBriefing awards.
2019
Sionic is born: Catalyst celebrates its 25th anniversary year by expanding its City of London base and merging with global specialists Sionic Advisors to create one united firm – a $60M business of over 300 professionals based in more than a dozen locations across Europe, North America and Asia.
2018
Sionic Advisors opens their first office in India
2018
Catalyst celebrates a record year: in under 12 months the firm acquires Knadel; is named as a top 50 UK Best Workplace™; opens its first nearshore base in Lithuania; launches and expands its offshore base in Jersey; appoints it’s first HRD and signs its first strategic academic alliance in mainland Europe.
2017
Sionic Advisors open offices in Madrid, Singapore and Zurich
2017
Catalyst announces an investment partnership with Livingbridge PE
2016
Sionic Advisors opens their first London office
2015
Catalyst is awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise, in recognition of the firm’s global impact.
2015
Sionic Advisors opens their Toronto office in June 2015
2015
Sionic Advisors introduce their managing partner structure in March 2015 with Diane Cenci, Ken Bigelow and Joseph Buonpastore joining the firm, on track to be managing partners
2014
Sionic Advisors is founded in October 2014 by Craig Sher, Chris Crowe and Harjinder Sidhu
2011
Catalyst completes a management buy-out from Abeam
2008
Catalyst achieves record profits during its buy-out year
2007
Catalyst is bought by Abeam
2006
Catalyst decides to focus exclusively on financial markets
2005
Catalyst delivers a milestone project: the Global Tech Intra Ops model for JP Morgan Chase
2004
Catalyst moves headquarters to Fleet Street in the City of London
2003
Catalyst de-merges from The Blueprint Group
2001
Catalyst runs the inaugural Core Capabilities programme for JP Morgan, in New York
2000
Catalyst delivers its first £1million assignment, for UBS
1997
Catalyst delivers its first £100K programme, for Sun Alliance
1996
Catalyst delivers the Odyssey programme for JP Morgan and also forms ‘The Blueprint Group’ with JM
1994
Catalyst is founded by Greg Davis with a commitment to be a distinctively ‘clean and proud’ consultancy