Kin + Carta names new CEO as J Schwan retires

Manthey (pictured) will formerly take over formerly on 1st August 2022, and was previously group chief executive of Kin + Carta Americas.

In addition to Manthey’s appointment, Chris Kutsor, currently chief financial officer at Kin + Carta, will take on the additional role of chief operating officer.

The rest of the company’s leadership group will remain in post during the transition to new leadership, and Schwan will remain with Kin + Carta as a special adviser for six months to assist with the transition.

Manthey has led Kin + Carta Americas through a period of high growth, with staff numbers rising from 400 to 1,100 during her tenure and the division accounting for 70% of the global firm’s revenue.

Other career highlights for Manthey include serving as chief executive at Solstice, which was founded by Schwan in 2001 and acquired by St Ives in 2015.

Schwan became chief executive at St Ives in August 2018, and renamed the firm Kin + Carta.

During his tenure, he oversaw the company’s flotation on the London Stock Exchange, the first certified B Corporation to achieve that feat, and acquisitions including Spire Digital, Cascade Data Labs, Loop, Melon Group (including Frakton) and Octain AI.

John Kerr, chairman at Kin + Carta, said: “Kin + Carta is unrecognisable from 2018 when J took over as chief executive, a period that delivered total shareholder return of 115%.

“J has successfully steered the business through this period of unparalleled change as he shaped a growing pure-play digital transformation consultancy with purpose at the heart of the business.

“This next phase of Kin + Carta will be defined by continued growth and we are confident and excited that the profitable growth that Kelly has successfully executed in the Americas, evident in the strength of this trading update, will be replicated at a global scale.”

Schwan said: “I’m incredibly proud to have played a role in building Kin + Carta and I’m delighted to be handing leadership to Kelly, who has been central to our progress.

“After a fulfilling and rewarding 25-year journey it’s time for me to retire from consulting and look at pursuing projects in different domains. I wish Kelly and the business every success as the company scales and I’d like to thank my colleagues for their hard work, drive and belief.”