Our story
Sionic is a Davies Company. Sionic was originally formed through the combination of three pre-existing consultancy firms of longstanding pedigree: Catalyst, Knadel and Sionic Advisors – with a common commitment and a proud track record of delivering outstanding expertise to financial services clients worldwide.
Davies is a multi-award-winning specialist professional services and technology business serving the insurance and highly regulated markets industry. It has been in business for over 50 years and currently has 61 offices and over 6,000 employees serving over 1,000 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
Following her ‘Rising Star’ award at the end of 2022, Sionic Banking & Markets Director Sharde McCorkle scoops the front page of the January 2023 AST.
The new year gets off to an exciting start in January, as the Financial Times names Sionic as one of the UK’s Leading Management Consultants, based on the opinions of our clients and peers.
2021 proves another landmark year for Sionic.
In December, we announce that we have been wholly acquired by the Davies Group and are now a Davies Company. Our new owners are a multi-award-winning specialist professional services and technology business.
We had started 2021 with the appointment of ‘pace-setter’ Mark Humphries as our new Chairman.
And throughout the year, we continued to be awarded prestigious industry commendations.
Our Wealth Management & Private Banking expertise won the Leading Individual Advisor award in the Ninth Annual European Wealth Briefing Awards 2021, and were highly commended alongside a pioneering new initiative from Sionic’s client lifecycle management colleagues.
Sionic Managing Partner John Byrne and Sionic Director Sharde McCorkle were both shortlisted in the inaugural Asset Servicing Times Industry Excellence Awards.
Sionic Chief Marketing Officer Sue Primmer was shortlisted for the CityWealth – Powerwomen of the Year 2022 – Champion of the Year.
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.
Our expert Wealth Management & Private Banking team beat off ‘big four’ competition to win the prestigious Best Management Consultancy award in the 8th Annual European WealthBriefing awards.
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.
Sionic Advisors opens their first office in India
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.
Catalyst announces an investment partnership with Livingbridge PE
Sionic Advisors opens their first London office
Catalyst is awarded The Queen’s Award for Enterprise, in recognition of the firm’s global impact.
Sionic Advisors opens their Toronto office in June 2015
Sionic Advisors is founded in October 2014.
Catalyst completes a management buy-out from Abeam
Catalyst achieves record profits during its buy-out year
Catalyst is bought by Abeam
Catalyst decides to focus exclusively on financial markets
Catalyst delivers a milestone project: the Global Tech Intra Ops model for JP Morgan Chase
Catalyst moves headquarters to Fleet Street in the City of London
Catalyst de-merges from The Blueprint Group
Catalyst runs the inaugural Core Capabilities programme for JP Morgan, in New York
Catalyst delivers its first £1million assignment, for UBS
Catalyst delivers its first £100K programme, for Sun Alliance
Catalyst delivers the Odyssey programme for JP Morgan and also forms ‘The Blueprint Group’ with JM
Catalyst is founded with a commitment to be a distinctively ‘clean and proud’ consultancy
