CIL strengthens North American leadership team with Director promotions
CIL is pleased to announce two new Directors in its North American team – Ian Cook and George Jaye. The promotions come as CIL's North American operations continue their strong momentum, building on eight years of growth since the firm established its Chicago base in 2018 and the recent launch of a New York office in January 2026.
Ian Cook has been promoted to Director within CIL's Business Services and Education & Training practices. He joined the firm as an Analyst in 2015 and relocated to Chicago in 2019 as one of the founding members of CIL’s North American operations, playing a key role in scaling the North American business across multiple sectors. His recent focus has spanned both practices, with clients increasingly seeking his expertise in education, healthcare staffing, and legal services. Outside of CIL, he sits on the board of his local school in Chicago, helping guide its development and support the wider school community.
George Jaye's promotion to Director reflects the strong contribution he’s made building CIL’s presence in the North American Consumer market. He joined the firm as an Analyst in London in 2016, where a sharp instinct for emerging consumer trends led him into the Consumer Markets practice, before relocating to Los Angeles in 2022 to help establish and grow CIL’s practice on the West Coast. George has developed strong experience across the consumer landscape, advising clients on M&A and growth strategy in categories spanning pet, health & wellness, beauty & personal care, and food & beverage.
Commenting on the promotions, Jon Whiteman, Managing Partner at CIL, said: "I'm delighted to announce these well-deserved promotions for Ian and George. Their talent and dedication have made a real difference to the momentum we're building across our North American operations, and I look forward to seeing them continue to thrive as Directors."
Axel Leichum, Partner and lead of CIL's North American operations, added: "George and Ian have both built genuine sub-sector expertise – across areas such as pet, health & wellness, and beauty & personal care, as well as education, healthcare staffing and legal services - and that depth is exactly what sets our North American teams apart. I'm excited to see them take on greater responsibility and help shape the next stage of our growth."
