History

1801 Group Ltd was formed in January 2010 as a holding company for Hamblyn Selection Ltd and Inspired Publishing Selection Limited.

Hamblyn Selection was originally formed as Christopher Hamblyn Associates in 1989. Christopher Hamblyn Associates was based in the Midlands with Steve Hyde becoming Managing Partner in 1999. With an established reputation within the advertising and media industry, Steve formed Hamblyn Media Selection in 2001.

Inspired Selection Limited was established by Lynne Willoughby and Joanna Bowerman in 1999 as a specialist publishing recruitment consultancy based in Oxford. In 2001 the business expanded by opening an office to serve the London market.

The two companies were first combined under the ownership of 1700 Group Plc, which subsequently sold the businesses to 1801 Group Ltd, managed by the same executive board.