Branding a New Era of Leadership

Hendry Warren Evolves to HW Partners

Hendry Warren LLP had built its business and reputation the old-fashioned way, by showing up for clients, earning their confidence, and delivering consistently sound advice over time. For more than 20 years, they’d quietly worked hard to become one of Ottawa’s most respected accounting firms, serving entrepreneurs, families, individuals, professionals, and non-profits.

But while the firm had evolved, the current partners believed its brand hadn’t kept pace. With a new generation of leadership and a growing team, they wanted a brand that reflected who they are today and where they’re going next. One that positioned them not just as accountants, but as trusted advisors who help clients navigate life’s financial complexities with clarity, confidence, and a calm, human approach.

Strategy Before Everything Else

Hendry Warren LLP had strong name recognition, but it also felt tied to earlier chapters. With the support of the partners, we recommended a shift to HW Partners, a name that retained the firm’s legacy while signalling a broader team and a more modern, human tone. The new name honours the original founders but reflects a forward-looking firm that’s built on partnership, in every sense of the word.

A Brand Name Evolves

Hendry Warren LLP had strong name recognition, but it also felt tied to earlier chapters. With the support of the partners, we recommended a shift to HW Partners, a name that retained the firm’s legacy while signalling a broader team and a more modern, human tone. The new name honours the original founders but reflects a forward-looking firm that’s built on partnership, in every sense of the word.

“McGill Buckley helped us articulate who we are and where we’re headed and equipped us with the tools to share that story with confidence. They created so much more than the logo redesign we thought we needed: our new brand strikes exactly the right tone for our clients and our team.”

 ~ Shaina Watt, Partner, HW Partners

A Brand Identity with Substance and Symbolism

With strategy and naming locked, Nadine Buckley led the design of the new brand identity. The logo centres on a bold “HW:” icon, where the colon isn’t decorative, it’s symbolic. It represents the moment of transition, from Hendry Warren to HW Partners. It also acts as an open-ended prompt: an invitation to what comes next.

The all-caps “HW” evokes professionalism and strength. The lowercase “partners” softens the tone and mirrors how the firm shows up; knowledgeable but approachable, structured but warm. The extended visual system includes a sector-aligned brand architecture, custom icons, photography direction, and a complete brand standards guide.

Transitioning to An All-New Brand

The HW Partners brand was brought to life across a wide range of materials, each one carefully created to reflect the firm’s new voice and visual clarity. We developed a full stationery package, presentation decks, signage, social media graphics, branded merchandise, and large-format pop-up banners for events and conferences. 

Internal rollout materials included an invite to the team brand reveal and speaking notes for partners. We also delivered communications tools to support outreach, including a blog post, media release, and email announcement to clients. From the student recruitment brochure to the branded tent and table wrap (yes, really), every piece was crafted with purpose, precision, and consistency across formats, platforms, and touchpoints.

A Website Refecting Brand Personality

We also delivered an entirely redesigned and rewritten website, collaborating with Impeka for WordPress development and Lindsey Gibeau for photography. From wireframes to messaging to finished product, we designed the site to reflect the firm’s personality: confident, calm, and easy to work with. Team bios focus on people, not résumés. Plain language is used throughout, including information about services and sectors. And the structure makes it easy to see the depth of the firm’s expertise across estate planning, cross-border tax, business valuations, and more. Most importantly, the website reinforces what clients already know: HW Partners aren’t just “good with numbers.” They’re the kind of people you can call, trust, and talk to.

Today, HW Partners has a reimagined brand that accurately reflects the trust they’ve earned over two decades, and gives them room to grow. It feels true to the firm’s values, reflects the people behind it, and resonates with clients who need more than compliance, they need conversation, insight, and steady advice. 

If you’re ready to reimagive or launch a new brand, we’re here to help.
Contact us to start the conversation today.