Founded: 1972
Location: Notting Hill, London; also New York, San Francisco, Austin and Berlin
Staff: UK: 60; global: 170
Creative roles: 70%
Founded in London by Alan Fletcher, Colin Forbes, Theo Crosby, Kenneth Grange and Mervyn Kurlansk in 1972, Pentagram is the grandfather of design agencies. Eschewing trends or corporate cash cows, its focus is on conceptual, ideas-driven design.
Pentagram's unique approach also ensures it's always ahead of the curve. "We are independently owned and led by the creatives, who are the partners," says Angus Hyland, who has been a partner at Pentagram London since 1998. "Each partner leads their own team, and we have a flat corporate structure. This is unique in our industry."
So how does it feel to be selected by a panel of creative directors as one of the UK's best? "It's very flattering, of course," says Hyland. "Mind you, we've been here for 40-odd years so I guess we've turned up on a lot of people's radar."