Third Bridge

About Third Bridge

Third Bridge Group Limited operates as a primary research firm, supplying insights to investment-focused clients such as private equity funds, hedge funds, and management consulting firms. Founded in 2007 as Cognolink by Emmanuel Tahar, Joshua Maxey, and Rodolphe De Hemptinne, the company rebranded to Third Bridge in 2015. The name is inspired by a bridge in Botswana's Okavango Delta, symbolizing the crossing into unexplored territory, a metaphor for the company's daily work of unearthing hard-to-find insights. Co-founder and CEO Emmanuel Tahar, an engineer by training, began his career in consulting at Bain & Company before leading Third Bridge.

The firm's business model centers on connecting its clients with subject matter experts for paid consultations, facilitating informed investment decisions. This is achieved through two main service lines: 'Connections' and 'Forum'. Connections provides clients with direct, one-on-one phone consultations with custom-recruited experts. Forum offers access to a library of over 65,000 hosted expert interview transcripts, covering a vast range of public and private companies. Revenue is generated by charging clients for these interactions and access to the content library, with hourly rates for experts ranging significantly based on experience.

Third Bridge serves a global clientele, including 21 of the 25 largest private equity funds, asset managers, and corporations, helping them with sourcing opportunities, conducting due diligence, and portfolio value creation. The company operates in the expert network industry, a sector that provides businesses with discreet access to vetted outside opinions to solve information challenges. With over 1,500 employees across 12 offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, the firm has established a significant global presence since its London founding. It has been backed by private equity firms, including IK Investment Partners and, more recently, Astorg, which invested in 2021 to support the company's next growth phase while the founders retained majority ownership.