Acertitude Expands Search Staff
April 11, 2024 – Executive search firm Acertitude has expanded with the addition of Heather Johnson as a partner working across healthcare services, HCIT, and private equity. “Heather’s deep sector knowledge in services and health-tech, along with her extensive network, client engagement skills, and talent identification capabilities perfectly complement our healthcare expansion strategy,” said Rick DeRose, co-founder, managing partner, and leader of the healthcare practice. “Her addition to our team not only expands our capabilities but also promises to inspire both our organization and our clients to maximize their true potential.”
“Ms. Johnson’s background in executive search, consulting, finance, and operations grants her a distinctive outlook on critical matters concerning organizational strategy and talent, particularly within the healthcare domain,” Acertitude said.
Ms. Johnson has completed over 300+ searches in the C-suite throughout her career. She brings over three decades of experience working in healthcare, private equity, and management consulting, forging partnerships with clients and honing specialized knowledge across diverse sectors, including behavioral health, healthcare services, technology-enabled services, pharmacy services, and outsourced services. Ms. Johnson has spearheaded executive search initiatives for middle-market, private equity-backed healthcare enterprises and has led numerous high-profile C-suite searches across the sector, driving value creation. “Heather brings exceptional, focused, and industry networks to recruit, onboard, and advise high-impact leaders, enabling them to achieve on-target exit for investors,” Acertitude said.
Throughout her career, Ms. Johnson has held various senior leadership roles at boutique healthcare and technology executive search firms, servicing middle-market private equity firms, Fortune 500 enterprises, and emerging companies. Most recently, she served as managing director of Focus Search Partners, she completed C-level leadership positions across healthcare services, behavioral health, outsource services, and HCIT middle market private equity-backed businesses. Prior to this, Ms. Johnson served as a partner with Chartwell Partners. Before that, she served as vice president of Pearson Partners International.
“I am thrilled to be joining Acertitude,” said Ms. Johnson. “The firm has built an incredible platform servicing high-growth and PE-backed companies nationally and globally across the healthcare sector, and I admire the unwavering commitment to delivering outstanding leadership teams for our clients. Our shared view to forging enduring partnerships and delivering exceptional talent solutions within this sector positions us to connect our clients with unique and top-quality healthcare leaders.”
Related: Acertitude Names Partners
Founded in 2015, Acertitude specializes in recruiting CEO, C-suite, and executive talent in the consumer, financial, healthcare and life sciences, industrial, private equity, professional services, and technology sectors. Its consultants work from offices in Boston; Dallas; Miami; London; New York; Philadelphia; Providence, RI; Raleigh, NC; Shanghai; and Washington, D.C. Acertitude’s global professional services practice recruits leadership talent for technology services, strategy and management consulting, turnaround and restructuring, M&A and deal advisory, business process outsourcing, and human capital advisory firms.
Growth in London
Acertitude recently expanded in London with the addition of Alexandra Ghashghai as partner working across private equity, infrastructure, and industrials. “Alexandra complements our steadfast commitment to delivering the highest standards of service and outcomes for clients,” said Guy Barnes, managing partner. “Her impeccable knowledge of the sectors and her strategic, collaborative approach aligns perfectly with our values and strategy for global expansion. Alexandra’s arrival undeniably fortifies our leadership ranks, infusing a smart, diverse perspective as we inspire our organization — and our clients — to unleash their fullest human potential.”
“An international colleague with a wealth of industry experience, Ms. Ghashghai’s background across banking, strategy consulting, and executive search allows her to have a unique perspective on key issues around organizational and people strategy,” the search firm said.
Ms. Ghashghai’s area of focus is executive search across the private market GPs, as well as corporate CEO and boards. She brings over two decades of experience working in EMEA and North America, through which she has built strategic relationships with clients and a view on long-term opportunities for companies in private equity, industrials, and broader infrastructure. Her career includes key leadership roles, such as global co-head of private equity at Spencer Stuart. Ms. Ghashghai has spearheaded executive search projects for large cap, middle market, and emerging investors in Europe and the U.S., and has led numerous high-profile chair, board, and CEO searches.
Related: Acertitude Names Global Head of Talent
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
