Kirkland past master Jon Henes launches strategic consultancy firm

Kirkland past master Jon Henes launches strategic consultancy firm

Jon Henes, who had served as the finance chair for US Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, leads a team of 15 professionals

Jon Henes will lead a team of 15 professionals to advise CEOs, C-suites and law firms on business strategy with diversity and inclusion in mind

Veteran Kirkland & Ellis restructuring partner Jon Henes has launched C Street Advisory Group, which will advise companies, C-suites and boards of directors on corporate governance, communication and crisis advisory, talent search advisory, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) among other issues.

The News York–based firm has kicked off with 15 professionals drawn from various fields, while plans are afoot to add more professionals in the group soon.

The firm in a statement said that its goal is to ensure alignment of the expectations of key stakeholders and calls for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Antara Capital, a Blackstone-backed multi-billion dollar investment fund that focuses on distressed debt and special purpose acquisition vehicles, has provided investment in C Street Advisory Group.

Henes had spent nearly two decades at Kirkland. He had served as the finance chair for the US Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign and the co-finance chair of former Citigroup executive Ray McGuire's New York City mayoral campaign.

"We are living in the era of reputation, with young workers focusing on social justice, diversity and making an impact. Organisations and their leaders are keenly aware of this generational shift and are determining the best strategies to position their organisations to both do well and do good," C Street founder Henes said.

"Each organisation is unique, with its own culture, opportunities and needs. C Street listens and learns, and then provides unparalleled advice and services to steer organisations through the most complex issues of our time," Henes added.

Besides Henes, other members of the C Street team include Alvin Tillery Jr, Beth Kojima and Melissa Prober. Tillery is a professor of political science at Northwestern University, Beth Kojima, Kojima is a former head of investor relations and strategy at TPG-Axon Capital while Prober is a litigator and former in-house counsel at the Clinton Foundation.

Tillery will serve as head of DEI, while Kojima and Prober will lead the talent advisory and crisis advisory teams respectively. Prober will also take on the role of general counsel.