The Savoir Group is an ensemble of seasoned individuals, drawn from business strategy, leadership development, business transformation and organisational psychology.
Kate Lye
The Savoir Group was founded by Kate Lye. Emerging from more than 25 years of consulting to the C suite in leading financial, pharmaceutical and professional services firms, Kate is a highly experienced confidant to business leaders. She formed The Savoir Group as a reimagination of what a confidential thinking partner and catalyst might deliver to those at the very top of business, typically underserved by mainstream L&D.
A bold and insightful ally, Kate provides the kind of support and judgement that is rarely found by executives. With an international perspective and insights drawn from exposure to the most delicate leadership challenges, Kate is deeply aligned with the landscape of modern business. She has a first class understanding of what is required to operate at the top of business.
The core of Kate’s work enables clients to be more incisive and impactful in how they lead their businesses. Her track record spans biotechs to big pharma, private equity and investment banks; including AstraZeneca, Alexion, GlaxoSmithKline, Fidelity International, AQR, Triton, Sapient and Baker McKenzie.
Kate is a Founding Fellow of the Harvard-affiliated Institute of Coaching. She has an MSc in Organisational Behaviour, as well as coaching and psychometric qualifications. An avid learner, she has a talent for synthesising insights across disciplines and applying them to business. Kate works with TED, the NHS and select environmental groups on a pro-bono basis.
“Working with Kate on my leadership transition has been nothing short of transformational. Her approach is authentic, pragmatic and versatile which allows her to adapt to what is required in a specific moment - from the high-level strategic birds’ eye view all the way to the minute details. Working with Kate has reinvigorated my career and I am incredibly grateful for her counsel, without which my successful leadership transition would not have been possible.”
JULIA HAYHOE
Julia empowers leaders and their teams to achieve strategic, sustainable growth by fostering strategy thinking, leadership influence and transitions management. With a wealth of board experience across professional and financial services, high growth entrepreneurial businesses and Private Equity, she ensures top leaders keep evolving.
Guiding talent-driven businesses through growth and transformation, she works with founders and CEOs to re-envisioning strategy to capitalise on market growth dynamics, addressing succession and leadership transitions.
A recognised thought-leader by The Economist, Duke Corporate Education & The World Economic Forum Julia co-led The World Economic Forum’s “The Future of the Corporation Project,” defining the leadership, governance and stakeholder relationships required to advance responsible sustainable businesses.
Julia serves as an independent Chair and NED, including with Specialist Risk Group, The Institute for Professional Services Research, The Economist Impact, and several legal & risk professional service firms.
Her executive board experience includes Global Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Committee member at Baker McKenzie, working with four successive Chairmen and leadership teams over 12 years. Before that she spent 8 years (4 years in the US) as a Partner & Head of London office in a boutique professional services strategy consultancy, which she successfully sold with the founders to Thomson Reuters. At the outset of her career, she was a private practice and in-house lawyer.
Julia holds an MBA from Manchester Business School, Certificates in Sustainable Business Leadership from Cambridge University (CISL) and Organisational Behaviour & Design from Columbia University NY, a Law degree from Essex University and has been a qualified Meyler Campbell executive coach since 2007.
“Julia is an inspirational leader and businesswomen who I have been lucky to know for over 10 years. What has been consistent across all this time is Julia’s leadership approach: Strong strategic intuitive understanding of the commercial business drivers; exceptional influencing and consensus building ability; foresight to spot emerging market trends; and early advocate for issues such as: Inclusion & Diversity and Sustainable Business, that are only now more mainstream. Julia is a person of exceptional integrity, she walks the talk, and shines the light on others so that they may grow and thrive.”