Human8 appoints 11 new partners

With these appointments, the agency can now leverage the leadership skills of 36 partners across the globe. Following an intense partner selection program over the past two months, supported by an external leadership assessment, Human8 appointed a diverse mix of new partners. The new partners are Amy Perifanos (US), Bob Yazbeck (US), Daniel Teixeira (APAC), Delphine Vantomme (EMEA), Ian Brown (EMEA), Lisa McFarland (US), Mark Alvarez (APAC), Paul Child (EMEA), Stijn Poffé (EMEA), Thomas Troch (US) and Timo Vandemaele (EMEA).

“Our people are truly the foundation of our company, so it’s key we continue to grow and develop our leaders today and for the future. We take that even a step further with the partnership model we already embraced in the early days of founding our business. Partnership implies rewarding those that have had a significant impact on our people, clients and our business, allowing them to grow from business leaders to business owners.” says Kristof De Wulf, CEO Human8.

At the same time, the agency also announced the departure of some legacy partners, such as Henk Pretorius (SA, former co-founder and CEO Columinate), Quentin Ashby (UK, former co-founder and CEO Join the Dots) and Erica van Lieven (AU, former founder and CEO Direction First). The departing partners remain shareholders as non-executive partners and thus as firm supporters of the company.

“As former legacy business founders/owners in our acquisition growth journey, Henk, Quen and Erica were fellow community pioneers in our industry. By joining forces over the past 5 years, we’ve been fortunate to not only experience their individual greatness and commitment but also the greatness of the people they brought along this exciting ride. A grant thank you for setting the example and paving the way. You will be missed!”, concludes De Wulf.

Meet the new Human8 partners

Amy Perifanos (US – Detroit)

“Becoming a Human8 Partner is especially exciting to me because it represents the evolution of Human8 as a collective and an investment in the future we can build together. I’ve been fortunate enough to have the bulk of my career with Gongos, and I never could’ve imagined the exciting career in front of me back in 2007 when I joined the company. Our partner group is a remarkable group of people, and I can’t wait to work alongside other global leaders to advance and grow the business!”

Bob Yazbeck (US – Detroit)

“I’m thrilled to become a Human8 partner! With the coming together of 10 strong and complementary agencies, Human8 is well-positioned to attract and retain talent, clients, and their stakeholders who are ready to journey with an industry-leading consultancy. An exciting future is ahead for all who come along for the ride.”

Daniel Teixeira (APAC – Singapore)

“It’s such an exciting opportunity to join the Human8 partner group – an intense, but equally interesting and rewarding process. It’s been 13 years in the making since I joined as a junior consultant in 2010. This is a big levelling up of my globetrotting journey (from Ghent over London to Singapore) at Human8, and I look forward to continuing to contribute to the growth of our business. Being passionate about sector specialisation, I want to push a stronger combination of people-led insights & consultancy, with the goal of generating a stronger impact for our clients.”

Delphine Vantomme (EMEA – Ghent)

“I’m thrilled to join the Human8 partner group pushing our business towards human-centric consultancy. In an AI-driven world, brands need strong partners to curate, unlock and activate human insights and Human8 is in the best possible position to take up that role. Human empathy for positive change!”

Ian Brown (EMEA – Manchester)

“I’m delighted to become a Human8 partner! Contributing to our offer development and business expansion over the past 10 years has been extremely rewarding and I’m looking forward to helping lead the next stage in our exciting journey. I'm particularly passionate about partnering with clients and harnessing our global solutions to ensure human understanding and empathy are at the heart of our decision-making.”

Lisa McFarland (US – Detroit)

“I believe in creating our own serendipity and not letting life just happen to us. To make the most of the time I have and be a catalyst in all that I do, applying to become a Human8 Partner was a no-brainer for me. My motivation is driven by my love for this company, my desire to have a voice in our future, and my passion for nurturing new possibilities. I can’t wait to see all the great things we will purposefully make happen!”

Mark Alvarez (APAC – Singapore)

“I’m delighted to be part of an amazing group of visionaries in our industry! Together with the entire partner community, we will continue to pioneer innovative and meaningful ways of connecting brands with people and culture. By integrating human insights into the process of making business decisions, brands can foster a culture that values these perspectives and strengthens customer relationships.”

Paul Child (EMEA – London)

“Becoming a partner at Human8 demonstrates the importance of the UK market to our continued success as a brand. I’m excited to build the reputation of Human8 as a people-first business who advocate for real people right to the heart of our client’s businesses. The future will hold a great many challenges for us all, in our everyday lives and our professional ones… and staying close to how and why people think and behave as they do, will ensure that future is a positive one.”

Stijn Poffé (EMEA – Ghent)

“I am honoured to be selected as a partner at Human8, a company I joined over a decade ago as a junior consultant. When I started at InSites Consulting, now Human8, despite having a healthy portion of ambition, I never imagined being where I am / we are today. From a small Belgian player to a global company in 24 offices across 6 continents, helping brands do what matters, every day. I have always been an ambassador of the company and I believe the partnership model and the diverse selection of new partners, is a testament to our company culture. Passionate about business strategy – our clients as well as our own – I am looking forward to helping shape and navigate our future!”

Thomas Troch (US – New York)

“I'm delighted to join the talented partner group at Human8, marking a significant milestone in my professional journey. Guided by a shared global vision and a re-invented portfolio, we are poised to contribute to positive change. As innovation takes centre stage for many of our clients, our renewed offering integrates a profound understanding of people with the empowering ability to reimagine solutions. I'm excited about the opportunity to continue to collaborate closely with our clients, leveraging the power of innovation to drive impactful change and propel their growth."

Timo Vandemaele (EMEA – Ghent)

“12 years ago, I joined an ambitious and entrepreneurial market research agency which I’ve seen evolve first-hand to a truly global human-driven consultancy, present across 6 continents and almost 1.000 people strong. I’m extremely proud to join our partner community and be a part of the continued journey of Human8.”