Alexander Hughes Adds Three Former HR Executives
March 1, 2023 – Paris-headquartered search firm Alexander Hughes has added three former HR executives with the appointments Roland Karsenty, Jorge Garabentos, and Guy Bernfeld as client partners. “It is with great pleasure that we expand our team of experts with these experienced specialists,” said Gérard Guilbert, managing director of Alexander Hughes Paris. “I am confident that their extensive and solid experience in the organization and development of HR strategies at the international level will provide our clients with a very high level of service.”
Mr. Karsenty has extensive experience in organizational transformation, re-engineering, and digital HR and IT applications in large international companies. He has also played leading roles in some major mergers such as Hewlett-Packard, Pfizer, Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Agilent Technologies, or Aviva. Mr. Karsenty is considered a thought leader in strategic HR transformation, organization design, and talent management. He has expertise in change management, reengineering, organizational development, application development, executive compensation, HR operations, and digital programs. Mr. Karsenty has held top HR roles with Johnson Controls, Aviva, Pfizer, Honeywell, Agilent Technologies, and Hewlett Packard.
Mr. Garabentos is a seasoned HR professional who has provided his expertise to large multinational companies, especially in the pharmaceutical sector. He is also an expert in the LATAM region, emerging markets, and has also served as global talent head and chief talent officer commercial, where he has led large-scale career development projects and diversity initiatives with HR leaders. Mr. Garabentos most recently served as global talent management head for Sanofi.
After starting his career at the Syndicat des Transports Parisiens, Mr. Bernfeld held management positions at Aéroports de Paris, the RATP and the Assistance publique – Hôpitaux de Paris. In 2009, he joined Crédit Agricole Immobilier as managing director before being appointed deputy managing director of the Croix Rouge.
International Search Firm
Founded in 1957, Alexander Hughes is an international executive search firm advising senior management on key talent acquisition: executive and non-executive directors, senior managers and recognized experts. With 53 offices, Alexander Hughes has a fully-owned worldwide coverage offering local expertise combined with global capabilities. The team includes more than 130 consultants operating in 10 practices, ranging from financial services and technology to life sciences, industrial manufacturing, and consumer markets.
HR Leaders Transition to Recruiters
For CHROs, chief talent officers, and other C-suite HR executives, the crossover skills required in the search business are nearly identical, and Hunt Scanlon Media has recently tracked a number of successful transitions. We have taken note of the trend among top-ranking HR executives reestablishing themselves as executive recruiters. Here’s a look at some of the more prominent ones:
Denver-based executive search firm Z3Talent has expanded with the addition of talent acquisition veteran Ashley Parsons as a client partner. “Ashley has a record of success bringing best-in-class talent solutions and leaders to businesses in a diverse group of industries,” said Steve Ziegler, founder of Z3Talent. Ms. Parsons brings eight years of experience in executive search with a focus on the execution of assignments for private equity backed clients. She serves the technology, consumer products, financial services, real estate, and construction sectors.
Executive search firm Ducatus Partners has added decades of global human resources experience to its team with the addition of Gary McKinney as partner. “To support our clients at the very highest level, we pride ourselves on providing unparalleled insight,” said Allister Graham, managing partner at Ducatus. “Gary’s experience as an HR leader across multiple large energy organizations and private equity firms, as well as in solving complex talent challenges – both as a CHRO and as an advisor – perfectly equips him to do just that for our private equity and larger corporate clients. We are delighted to welcome him to our team and to our Houston (TX) office.”
London-headquartered executive search firm Hedley May has added former Houlihan Lokey CHRO Janine Cristiano as a partner in New York. “We are delighted to expand Hedley May’s market presence in the U.S. and enhance our franchise,” said Laura McPhail, U.S. partner. “Janine adds specialized expertise to our platform that will provide our clients with fresh insight as they seek to develop world class HR functions.” Ms. Cristiano previously served as chief human resources officer at Houlihan Lokey, Ares Management, and Smith Barney, and as head of human resources for corporate groups at Ernst & Young.
N2Growth, a Philadelphia-based management consulting and executive search firm, named former HR executive Jos van der Steen as partner, focusing on the firm’s European retail, financial services and digital transformation practices. “In his capacity as HR director, Jos has always been a vocal supporter and client of N2Growth,” said Jaco Erasmus, EMEAA partner and member of the N2Growth board. “Having made a career switch to executive search, we are honored to welcome him as partner within the executive search practice of N2Growth Benelux. Every HR director knows how crucial it is to get the right executives onboard at the right moment in time. Jos has been on the hiring side of the table for many years and offers a lot of experience and understanding with respect to clients’ executive search needs.”
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
