Agency correspondent Heather Nichols discusses with Abby Sammons, Marketing & Partnership Manager at Wise, about the company’s 35th anniversary, what it means to be an employee-owned company, and how this benefits the company and its clients.
Wise Productions is a creative event production company based in London, specializing in lighting, audio, video, design, custom-made sets and scenics. Many of their events are offered at unique venues in London, but they work throughout the UK and internationally. The company was founded in 1990 by David Wise, and 2025 marked its 35th anniversary.
Two and a half years ago, Wise Productions moved to an employee ownership model. In other words, the majority ownership of the company has moved from David Wise, who holds shares on behalf of Wise employees, to the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
When founder David Wise decided he wanted to retire, he explored various options for the company’s future and approached sealing off sales to large companies. He ultimately decides that this is not the right choice for the company and fears that he can compromise on the value, culture and overall orientation he has spent over 30 years. This led him to discover ownership of the employee.
Currently, Wise’s employee ownership model is an example of both direct and indirect ownership. David still owns 30% of the company, but the remaining 70% is owned by employees through employee beneficiary trusts. Abby said: “David decided to sell to his employees to foster our culture, cultivate our staff and help them grow. As collaboration is always crucial to our success, the transition to employee ownership felt like a natural reflection of the industry’s reputation and existing values.
The transition to employee-owned businesses has had a major impact on Wise Productions culture, encouraging greater motivation, accountability and engagement among employees. Also, there have been changes in problem solving within the company, which has become the responsibility of everyone. Now, instead of approaching leadership teams with issues, employees bring ideas to the table, collaborate on solutions, creating a greater sense of teamwork and accountability. Abby said: “Everyone benefits the company’s success. This means there is a vested interest in the success of every event we offer, increasing attention to detail and focusing on client satisfaction and overall high quality work.”
With everyone investing in the company, it is important that there is a way for employee owners to have a platform that shares their ideas and contributes to the company’s decision-making process. To achieve this, Wise Productions introduced a new initiative called employee voice in late 2023. It is designed to promote open dialogue and allow all voices to be heard.
The initiative is structured like a council, along with representatives from each of the key departments. Employee audio meets online monthly with quarterly in-person sessions. The leadership team sends strategic questions or topics to the employee’s voice chair for the employee’s opinions. Representatives will collect feedback from the team and report the findings. This collaborative approach ensures that employees are engaged in shaping the future of the company.
In addition to employee audio, Wise also has quarterly updates, adjusting its 90-day target to match its business goals for 1, 3 and 10 years. Abby said: “This creates an effective two-way dialogue between employees and leadership.”
In 2023, Wise Productions won the EO Transition of the Year Award, demonstrating early engagement with employees and setting up textbook examples on how to effectively manage your transition. Additionally, they regularly conduct co-owner surveys and make sure everyone is happy with how things are going. They recently introduced an employee ownership charter to ensure that everyone is united and engaged.
As part of being an employee-owned company, Wise Productions practices financial transparency. Employees are regularly updated on company performance, how close they are to reach their goals, and operating costs such as rent. Abby said: “This opening promotes a culture of trust as employees clearly understand the business and how they can contribute.”
Additionally, employee ownership models lead to increased attention to detail and a strong commitment to providing quality services. This means it will have a positive impact on client relationships and service quality. Everyone in the company is involved in the success of each project, which directly benefits client relationships and overall service delivery. Client relationships are approached as shared success and greater accountability than non-employee-owned companies.
Marie Noel Nizi said she is the marketing and partnership coordinator. “I never had an employee-owned company. It came from a traditional corporate environment. After wise research and seeing recent awards and anniversary, I found it intriguing. Possible.”
The shift to an employee ownership model has proven to be a sensible production transformational decision to not only strengthen the internal culture but also improve the quality of the services they provide to their clients. By promoting collective responsibility, greater collaboration and financial transparency, the company has created an environment where everyone can invest in its success and future directions.
As Wise Productions celebrates its 35th anniversary, the employee-owned model ensures that its legacy of creativity and excellence will continue for years to come, as evidence of its commitment to its people and clients.
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