February 12, 2026

The Agency Worldwide, a retained executive search and advisory firm serving the life sciences and healthcare sectors, is entering its 40th year of operation, marking four decades of partnership-driven work supporting organizations advancing life-saving, life-enhancing, and planet-sustaining innovation. 

Founded in 1986, The Agency Worldwide has remained independent within an industry increasingly defined by scale and transaction volume. Across four decades, the firm has worked alongside boards, CEOs, and leadership teams to help build organizations capable of navigating complexity, growth, and change, often partnering with the same leaders across multiple companies and career stages. 

“Our work has never been about filling roles in isolation,” said Kim First, President and CEO of The Agency Worldwide. “It has always been about understanding the full context, including culture, leadership dynamics, vision, and timing, combined with a long-term commitment to the organizations we serve. That philosophy has guided the firm since its inception.” 

A Partnership Model Built Over Time 

The Agency Worldwide’s approach is grounded in the belief that leadership decisions exist within organizational systems. The firm operates as an extension of client organizations, embedding deeply to understand the conditions that influence leadership success. 

This long-term perspective is reflected in the firm’s Clients for Life philosophy, a commitment to enduring relationships and to partnering with organizations whose work improves human health, patient outcomes, and the broader world. 

“Many leaders placed early in their careers now serve as CEOs, board members, and investors,” First added. “Those relationships continue because leadership evolves alongside organizations, and sustained partnership supports that evolution.” 

A Framework Informed by Four Decades of Experience 

As part of its 40th anniversary reflection, CEO Kim First formally articulated Culture, Chemistry, and Clarity, a leadership framework shaped by decades of advisory work.

Through reviewing the firm’s history and long-standing client relationships, these three elements emerged as consistent drivers behind durable leadership teams and sustained partnerships. What once existed as experience and judgment now serves as a clearly defined framework guiding the firm’s continued work with clients. 

● Culture reflects how organizations truly operate day to day 

● Chemistry addresses the interpersonal dynamics enabling trust, alignment, and resilience 

● Clarity establishes shared understanding around vision, roles, accountability, and decision-making 

“Culture, Chemistry, and Clarity emerged through reflection on years of close partnership with leadership teams,” said First. “The framework now anchors how the firm strengthens and evolves client relationships moving forward.” 

Looking Ahead 

As The Agency Worldwide enters its fifth decade, the firm remains committed to the principle that aligned leadership teams drive meaningful outcomes. 

“In an environment defined by constant change, the need for thoughtful leadership remains critical,” First said. “The firm honors its history while continuing to support clients as they build teams equipped for long-term impact.”