Patina Solutions Adds Recruiting Veteran; Secures Funding

March 16, 2017 – Professional services firm Patina Solutions has expanded with the addition of Conrad Lee as lead executive search partner. Based out of Tampa, the appointment of Mr. Lee intensifies Patina’s focus on executive recruiting at the C-suite level and for key functional positions. In his new role, Mr. Lee will be responsible for leading and expanding these efforts.

“It’s an honor to welcome Conrad as the leader of our executive search practice,” said Patina CEO Mike Harris. “He has extensive experience in leading global executive searches across a wide range of industries.” He said what attracted him to Mr. Lee was his “results-driven” work at the top end of the market. “We are confident in his ability to help our clients secure the C-level talent that meets their specific search criteria and helps them continue to achieve their business objectives.”

Mr. Lee, by his estimation, has completed over 450 search projects over the course of his career. Previously, he was a partner in the global technology & services practice with DHR International. Before that, he was with Korn Ferry where he served as a senior client partner. He founded and established a recruiting boutique (acquired in 1998 by Deloitte & Touché) to provide executive search services to multinational companies in the U.S. with a special emphasis on the Latin American markets.

C-Suite Pipelining

His global executive search experience has involved securing leaders for roles including board director, CEO, COO, CFO and president. Mr. Lee has worked across industries, but has had a particular emphasis on technology, banking, wealth, retail, restaurant and the manufacturing sectors.

“With Patina’s unique position in the marketplace, companies find themselves a step ahead in the executive search process,” said Mr. Lee. “Leveraging Patina’s connections with industry veterans means the pipeline for C-suite candidates already exists and so the timeline for hiring is significantly reduced. For companies looking to fill leadership positions quickly and with the right talent, that’s a huge advantage.”

Patina partners with companies to solve problems, realize opportunities, improve results, fill a key expertise or resource gap, develop talent or support any other critical initiative. It uses a tailored approach to deliver its recruiting solutions, including flexible fee structures. It also offers an interim-to-hire option, allowing businesses to work with executive candidates before making them a permanent offer.

In December, Patina added Jodi Brendel as managing partner of the firm’s Minnesota market and leader of its life sciences practice. In this role, Ms. Brendel leads its Minnesota team in providing clients with targeted expertise and hands-on support for projects that include  consulting, career placement, and mentoring. She was previously an independent consultant focused on driving growth for emerging life sciences and food & agribusiness companies.

Angel Investments

These recent appointments follow a capital funding round in which Patina secured $3.45 million to support its growth and expansion efforts. Individual angel investors contributed a significant portion of that investment. Patina has used that funding to grow exponentially, increasing revenue over 200 percent in the past three years. “And, we’re not done yet,” said Mr. Harris.


Funding Sources Line Up for Talent Acquisition Platforms

Funding sources have been lining up over the past year to invest in recruiting platforms of all shapes and sizes. Patina Solutions is just the latest example. As the money pours, many of these talent service providers are bulking up with executive recruiters or landing M&A deals that are giving them wider expansion platforms from which to grow. 2017, in fact, is already shaping up to be an even more active and ambitious year for the sector. The reason? “High-performing companies are transforming the way they attract, interact with and acquire talent,” said Scott A. Scanlon, founding chairman and CEO of Greenwich-based Hunt Scanlon Media. “There is enormous demand from companies that put people first and realize that to win in today’s economy, you must out hire your competition.”

Recruiting is now seen as a strategic corporate function, he said, that includes everything from executive search, assessment, leadership development, culture shaping and onboarding to training, executive coaching, interim services and off-boarding. “Layer in in how companies are using metrics and analytics, embracing the gig workforce, and seizing on new notions of labor, work and talent and you begin to see the enormity, potential and future value of these businesses.” ….. Here’s some further reading from Hunt Scanlon.

YouEarnedIt Secures $6.5 Million In Funding
Investors continue to pour money into new technology that aims to change the talent management game. YouEarnedIt, an SaaS company that is significantly altering how companies drive employee engagement and bottom line performance metrics, just closed $6.5 million in funding.


Shiftgig Secures $20 Million In Funding as Gig Trend Takes Off
By 2025, most workers (70 percent) and employers (68 percent) agree that a majority of the workforce will be employed in gig positions. That reality is likely driving new and existing investors to contribute $20 million in funding to Shiftgig, a marketplace that connects U.S. employers with workers seeking short term positions.


Norman Broadbent Receives Funding and Plans Expansion
U.K.-headquartered executive recruiter Norman Broadbent has raised more than $3 million from new and existing equity investors to fuel future growth plans. The investment comes from a range of high profile investors, including Miton and City Financial Investment.


SmartRecruiters Receives $30 Million In Funding
Talent acquisition platform SmartRecruiters has raised $30 million in series C financing, led by New York-based venture capital and private equity firm Insight Venture Partners. The company plans to leverage the additional capital to sustain its rapid growth and accelerate its global market presence.


Invenias Secures $2.8 Million In Funding
Invenias, a U.K.-headquartered global cloud-based platform for executive and strategic hiring, has secured $2.8 million in funding. The financing package includes $1.1 million in new funding from existing investor MMC Ventures, supported by $1.7 million in debt funding from Clydesdale & Yorkshire Banks.


Not Actively Looking Receives Private Funding
Not Actively Looking, a U.K.-based global matchmaking platform for senior executives and executive search firms, has completed a private fund raising of more than £400,000, or the U.S. equivalent of nearly $600,000.

Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media

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