Gensler’s Legacy of Leadership

Gensler was founded in San Francisco in 1965 by Art Gensler, his wife Drue, and their colleague James Follett. What began as a pioneering workplace design consultancy has since evolved into the world’s leading architecture and design firm.

Art and the founding generation, including Ed Friedrichs, Margo Grant Walsh, Tony Harbour, and Walter Hunt, established a self-governing, self-sustaining firm, laser focused on clients and growth. The next generation of leaders—Andy Cohen and Diane Hoskins, who served as Co-CEOs for 20 years, with Dan Winey, Robin Klehr Avia, and Joseph Brancato comprising the firm’s first Executive Committee—brought a bold, long-term vision that elevated Gensler to a global design powerhouse. Continuing and amplifying the firm’s legacy of interconnected, collaborative leadership and governance, Jordan Goldstein and Elizabeth Brink, Co-CEOs, and Philippe Phaneuf, COO, joined the Executive Committee as Andy and Diane became Global Co-Chairs of the Board of Directors in 2025.

1965-1975: Laying the Foundations

Art and Drue Gensler and their colleague Jim Follet co-founded M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates, Inc. in 1965, in a small, one-room office in San Francisco. Boldly entrepreneurial and visionary, Art challenged typical ideas of what architecture and design could do and is widely credited with creating the blueprint for how many professional services firms organize and manage themselves today. Along with other members of our founding generation, Art built the preeminent commercial interior design firm in the United States by approaching projects from the “inside out.”

The extraordinary Gensler leaders during that first decade played an essential role in shaping the culture of innovation and design excellence that would guide the firm’s trajectory for years to come. In addition to opening our second and third offices in Houston (1972) and Denver (1973), they brought a game-changing approach to the business of design, taking great care to intentionally attract, develop, and empower leaders at every level with an eye toward growth.

The extraordinary Gensler leaders during that first decade played an essential role in shaping the culture of innovation and design excellence that would guide the firm’s trajectory for years to come. In addition to opening our second and third offices in Houston (1972) and Denver (1973), they brought a game-changing approach to the business of design, taking great care to intentionally attract, develop, and empower leaders at every level with an eye toward growth.

Gensler’s transformation from a family-owned startup focused on space planning to the top interiors practice—led by world-class designers like Orlando Diaz and Don Brinkman—was cemented during our second decade of existence. In 1978, the firm ranked 13 on Interior Design’s list; just three years later, in 1981, we ranked first — a position we’ve held ever since. By the mid-1980s, the firm had opened new offices in Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, and Newport Beach. Talented professionals across the country wanted to work for Gensler, and major clients wanted to hire us. The firm’s revolutionary inside-out approach to design—one that centered around user experience—was a major differentiator, elevating Gensler to the national stage.

As the savings and loan crisis and recession destabilized the United States economy in the late 1980s and early 1990s, architecture firms around the country began to downsize, merge, or even close their doors. Gensler, however, charged ahead, with projects spanning 40 states and 12 countries by the time we celebrated our 25th anniversary.

Firmly established in the industry, Gensler blossomed as a full-service professional practice, offering services from architecture and interiors to facilities planning, master planning, and graphic design, among others. As the firm’s expertise evolved, so did the business model and culture.

Ed Friedrichs succeeded Art as Gensler’s second President and CEO, leading the firm from 1995 to 2003 through a pivotal era of growth and diversification. A passionate advocate for people and culture, Ed codified the firm’s values, articulating the idea of Gensler as a “constellation of stars” — a practice defined not by a single personality, but by the collective contributions of talented individuals working together.

Under his leadership, Gensler formalized its practice area strategy, expanding beyond workplace interiors to establish new areas of expertise. Ed championed innovation, launched Gensler University, and fostered a tradition of mentorship and shared learning that remains foundational today. His influence helped shape Gensler into a more connected, resilient, and future-focused firm, strengthening both its business model and its culture.

In the mid-1990s, Art put a group of young, ambitious leaders at the helm of key offices: Andy Cohen in Los Angeles, Diane Hoskins in Washington, D.C., Dan Winey in San Francisco, and Robin Klehr Avia and Joseph Brancato in New York — the “constellation of stars” ethos in action. Bringing energy, passion, strategic vision, and grit, these five leaders, who became the firm’s first Executive Committee, kick-started Gensler’s transformation from family-owned-and-operated interiors practice to a multidimensional global brand. By simultaneously focusing on design innovation and excellence, engaging new market sectors, and growing client relationships both locally and around the world, they brought bold new ideas and formalized an internal visioning and strategic planning process, the first of which was called “Leadership 2000.” It was in this era that the firm’s mission statement was cemented—one that still guides our work today: “to create a better world through the power of design.”

In 2000, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) recognized Gensler’s impact and influence with the prestigious Firm of the Year Award—the AIA’s highest honor to a collaborative practice. At the ceremony, Art Gensler invited all five Executive Committee members—Andy, Diane, Robin, Dan, and Joe—to join him onstage. It was a demonstration of Art’s, and the firm’s, commitment to the next generation of collaborative leadership.

By 2005, Gensler had established four non-US offices, bringing the total number of offices to 25. That same year, the Executive Committee collectively decided to name Andy and Diane Co-CEOs. They continued to work together with Art, who remained a strategic advisor and mentor until his passing in 2021. Driven by their individual passions and enthusiasm for growing the firm, this group of leaders significantly scaled Gensler’s team, footprint, clients, and expertise. Dan moved to Shanghai to open offices in Asia and India, while Robin and Joe opened Gensler’s offices in Latin America and expanded the northeast Region into Canada. Seeding each location with a combination of local talent and Gensler culture champions, the firm was equipped to deliver projects wherever our clients needed us.

At the same time, a heightened commitment to research led the establishment of the Gensler Research Institute (GRI), also in 2005. Dedicated to studying the connection between design, business, and the human experience, the GRI generated insights that enhanced the firm’s performance, made a marked difference for our clients, and cemented our status as a leader in shaping the future of cities.

By Gensler’s 40th anniversary in 2010, the firm was making a significant impact in communities all over the world, serving 2,500 active clients. Our collaborative leadership model was thriving, and the role of Board Chair began to rotate between Executive Committee members, starting with Dan who succeeded Art as the Chair in 2012, followed by Robin, Andy, Diane and Joe. The entrepreneurial spirit of our leaders and global team had carried the firm through recession, then propelled us forward at an astonishing rate. In 2015 alone, the firm completed such landmark projects as the San Francisco International Airport, the Tower at PNC Plaza, headquarters for NVIDIA and Conde Nast, and the Shanghai Tower—China’s tallest building—among many others.

2015-Present: A Global Brand for the Future

Gensler opened offices across the globe, mentored and recruited the industry’s brightest talent, launched dozens of new practice areas, and scaled annual revenue tenfold over the course of 21 years, growing from $200 million to more than $2 billion by 2026. The firm became the go-to partner for its clients, helping them seize opportunities and navigate challenges from the Great Recession to the global COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. And all along, Gensler’s unique collaborative leadership model continued to flourish, with two or more leaders working together to run every region, office, and community within the firm.

In 2024, Andy and Diane became Global Co-Chairs of the firm and the Board of Directors, playing a key role in shaping Gensler’s vision and future trajectory. Jordan Goldstein and Elizabeth Brink, both longtime Gensler leaders who served as Managing Principals of the Southeast and Southwest Regions, respectively, were named the new Co-CEOs, and Chief Operating Officer Philippe Phaneuf joined them on the Executive Committee. Drawn from a deep bench of leadership across the globe, these third-generation leaders work closely with Andy, Diane, the Board, and the firm’s Communities of Leadership to continue building on the solid foundations that have underpinned our growth since 1965.

This seamless leadership transition continues Gensler’s tradition of a self-sustaining and self-governing design practice, passing on from one generation to the next.

Today, Gensler’s 6,500+ people work from 57 locations across 16 countries, united by a seamless, integrated culture that prioritizes design excellence, local insight, and global collaboration. With a deep commitment to our clients, our people, and our communities, Gensler continues to reimagine the future of cities, spaces, and experiences around the globe, always guided by our mission: to create a better world through the power of design.