Search Solution Group Lands Chief Technology Officer for Sonavex
July 10, 2017 – Demand for top technology executives continues to gain momentum. CTO hiring, in fact, is expected to grow by 18 percent by 2022, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. It’s a trend that has kept executive search firms well occupied. To that end, Search Solution Group has placed Dr. Harish Hiriyannaiah as chief technology officer of Sonavex, Inc. The search was spearheaded by Ashley Bowman, business development manager, and Josh Mensinger, recruiting leader.
Sonavex, which improves surgical outcomes for patients at the point-of-care, uses imaging technology to visualize and quantify data that also reduces cost in surgical applications. Founded in 2013, the company is based in Baltimore, MD. It has often been recognized for its innovations in healthcare equipment.
The Search
“After a great amount of discussion and research with Sonavex leadership and Dr. Hiriyannaiah, we knew this would be the perfect match,” said Mr. Mensinger. “His depth of experience in the field of imaging technology and product development will benefit the company’s innovative strategy for years to come. I am excited to see the impact this team has on the imaging industry and look forward to continuing our partnership as they grow.”
Dr. Hiriyannaiah has an extensive background in image processing, medical imaging and machine learning technologies. He brings more than 25 years of experience to the position, serving as the primary guide for engineering and product development. His experience includes project management, project planning, market analysis, as well as mentoring and teaching. He has also held roles at L-3 Cincinnati Electronics, Acionyx Inc., EagleyeMed, and KLA-Tencor Corporation.
“We are thrilled to welcome Harish to Sonavex,” said David Narrow, CEO of Sonavex. “His technical acumen coupled with his deep experience in commercializing imaging technologies positions Sonavex for success as we launch our suite of ultrasound technologies.”
Search Solution Group, headquartered in Charlotte, NC, focuses on recruiting mid- to senior-level executives in accounting and finance, engineering, manufacturing, human resources, operations, and legal on a local and national level. The firm also has offices in Buffalo, NY and Baltimore.
Evolving C-Suite Role
As companies look to differentiate themselves in the rapidly changing technology landscape, talented chief technology officers with deep expertise in cybersecurity, data analytics and infrastructure modernization are in demand.
“As technology becomes increasingly more intertwined with business strategy and instrumental to a company’s success, the demand for talented CTOs is on the rise,” said Tim Ward, principal with The McCormick Group, an executive search firm. “The rapid escalation of mobile device and cloud usage and the obvious need for improved security measures along with it has greatly increased the need for innovative CTOs. Smart leaders recognize the potential disruptive impact emerging technologies can have on a company and its customers and are turning to CTOs to help them stay competitive.”
“CTOs wear both a business and a technical hat within organizations,” said Deborah Page, technology practice lead at McCormick. “They work technical challenges while also partnering with the business on strategic roadmap planning,” she said, adding that they are considered “big-picture thinkers” by constantly evaluating how technology can be used to create new services and solutions.
“CTOs own the technology strategy and are huge advocates of transformation and innovation,” she said. “With the focus on digital transformation, dashboards-analytics and integration of firm-wide applications, the CTO role will continue to trend within both giant and small corporations.”
Recruiting CTOs
A number of executive search firms have placed CTOs in recent months. Here’s a look at a few from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
The McCormick Group placed David Mihelcic as chief technology and strategy officer at Juniper Federal. Principal Tim Ward led the assignment. Mr. Mihelcic is the former chief technology officer at the Defense Information Systems Agency.
Calibre One recruited Artem Fishman as chief technology officer of music streaming service SoundCloud. Partner Thomas Green led the assignment. Mr. Fishman most recently had been a vice president of engineering at Yahoo, overseeing mobile engineering.
WinterWyman placed Aatish Salvi as chief technology officer at Teikametrics. Senior vice president and partner Tracy Cashman led the search. Previously, Mr. Salvi was vice president of engineering for Nanigans, Inc., where he led a team of developers for its marketing automation platform.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Chase Barbe, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
