Executive Search Review
‘Recruiters Rankings’ Special Issue
Executive Search Review is now in its 27th year. We invite you to take a look at our latest issue by downloading the Free Newsletter PDF file. Here is a sampling of just some of what you’ll find when you open up this ESR:
Big Growth in Store as Executive Recruiters Slowly Adapt to Automated Technologies
The executive search industry’s leading 50 players in the Americas once again surpassed $3 billion in revenues last year, according to recent statistics collected by Hunt Scanlon Media. The group collectively jumped by near double digits, continuing a spectacular run for an industry that just a decade ago was left reeling from the Great Recession.
Hunt Scanlon Top 50 Recruiters
Hunt Scanlon presents its annual roundup of the largest, fastest-growing executive search firms in the Americas. Here, we present the 50 top firms in this dynamic marketplace – ranging from the largest recruiting and talent leadership solutions firms to the leading boutique specialists that dominate the list this year.
New York Remains Power Center for Recruiting
Perhaps no market is as vibrant, or challenging, for the executive search industry as New York. Hunt Scanlon updates a very popular roster of search firms: ‘The New York Power 60’ – the most influential and innovative headhunters from across the Big Apple. See the ranking here!
Executive Search Industry Predictions
Six executive recruiting luminaries share their predictions on where the search industry is heading – from fees and growth to cybersecurity talent needs, the rise of artificial intelligence, new talent innovations and what sectors have the strongest growth potential in the next five years.
Hunt Scanlon Releases Latest Recruiter Rankings
Hunt Scanlon Top 50
Hunt Scanlon Big Five Global Search Firms
Hunt Scanlon Global 25
Hunt Scanlon Top 40 Sports, Media & Entertainment
Hunt Scanlon London 60
Hunt Scanlon Past ESR Issues
‘Millennial Recruiting’ Special Issue
Sports and Media/Entertainment Special Issue
Paradigm Shift Special Issue
2017 Rankings Issue
Life Sciences and Healthcare Recruiting Special Issue
Non-Profit/Higher Education Recruiting Special Issue
2016 Rankings Issue
Cybersecurity Recruiting Special Issue
Past Articles From The Archives
Big Growth in Store as Executive Recruiters Slowly Adapt to Automated Technologies
The executive search industry’s leading 50 players in the Americas once again surpassed $3 billion in revenues last year, according to recent statistics collected by Hunt Scanlon Media. The group collectively jumped by near double digits, continuing a spectacular run for an industry that just a decade ago was left reeling from the Great Recession.
Talent Shortage Could Threaten Business Growth and Recruiting
A worldwide talent shortage of more than 85 million people could occur by 2030, according to a fresh report out of Korn Ferry – and that could lead to $8.5 trillion in unrealized revenue. How this might impact the executive search business is anyone’s guess. The eye-opening figures are the latest in Korn Ferry’s multiyear
New York Remains Power Center for Recruiting
Perhaps no market is as vibrant, or challenging, for the executive search industry as New York. A decade since the last big recession rocked their world, bankers and other financial industry titans – and the recruiters who serve them – are thriving once again. But the many other organizations that call the Big Apple home,
Search Industry Predictions . . .
Executive Search Review is now in its 27th year. We invite you to take a look at our latest issue and check out these predictions from leading recruiters. Six executive recruiting luminaries share their predictions on where the search industry is heading – from fees and growth to cybersecurity talent needs, the rise of artificial intelligence,
The Generational Shift: Millennials Entering the C-Suite
By 2025, according to some estimates, Millennials will represent 75 percent of the U.S. workforce, as the Baby Boomer generation retires and younger Millennials continue to enter work. The oldest Millennials are now 37, and some are in management positions; the youngest, at 21, are in their first jobs or still in education or training.
What Do Millennials Value Most?
Sam Mesquita joined Scottsdale, AZ-based executive search firm Govig & Associates last May as marketing communications coordinator. He’s 23. In his role, he manages marketing and branding. He describes himself as a ‘passionate creative’ who loves communications strategy. Anything that falls under the umbrella of marketing, he manages. As a Millennial working in a fast-paced
How to Prepare Millennials For Executive Leadership
Millennials seem to have their very DNA attuned with the hyper connectivity that our world has adopted, John Nimesheim of Slayton Search Partners noted in a recent report. As this generation begins the slow but steady ascent up the corporate ladder, spreading their influence and sharing their purchasing power, how do we prepare them for
Millennials Look to the Non-Profit Sector
Deemed the ‘giving generation,’ Millennials can be one of the non-profit world’s most valuable assets. Sixty percent of Millennials want a sense of purpose in their work and 77 percent chose their job based on that desire, according to the ‘Deloitte Millennial Survey.’ These factors create the perfect environment for non-profits to attract, hire, and
Generations X and Z Can’t Be Forgotten
With so much attention directed at upstart Millennials, employers may be overlooking their employees from the 40-something generation and first generation to know only a digital world, Generations X and Z, respectively. New research out of the U.K. shows that employees from Generation X mirror many of the workplace trends of their younger counterparts in
Sports and Entertainment Expansion Elevating Search Business
Over the last 25 years, sports has grown into a formidable global industry. Historically, professional sports teams operated on a relatively modest level, with league officials, team owners, managers, and coaches surrounding themselves with people they knew and trusted from their own small worlds. College sports teams relied on in-house search committees and word-of-mouth recommendations.
eSports Recruiting Expanding Fast
eSports is a relatively new form of entertainment best known for its use of organized video game competitions between professional players. Taking the executive search industry by storm, eSports has recruiters scrambling to identify senior-level talent to meet the rising demand. A number of non-traditional sports sponsors and executives have entered the eSports industry, which
Why Jed Hughes is Arguably the Best Sports Recruiter in the Business
Simply put, Jed Hughes is the best known recruiter in the sports executive search industry. Not only did he gain practical experience coaching under several Hall of Fame football coaches, his academic credentials are top-flight with a masters degree from Stanford and a Ph.D from Michigan. Mr. Hughes has elevated Korn Ferry’s sports practice to
Help Wanted: Senior Executives Who Can Stimulate Innovation
The sports industry is changing, and the need for talented senior-level executives who can stimulate innovation is in heavy demand. It is a fairly new recruiting concept for some search firms. For others, the transition has been seamless. One of these go-to search consultants is Sucherman Group CEO Erik Sorenson. He is well-versed in media
Sports Recruiting Enters Prime Time
An industry veteran with nearly 40 years of experience in the sports business, Scott Carmichael founded Prodigy Sports in 2007. Now entering his 10th year leading the search firm, Mr. Carmichael has established Prodigy Sports into one of the nation’s premier boutique executive search firms, working with a roster of clients that reads like a
Why Data Analytics Is the New Game Changer for Search Firms
As workforce management paradigms shift to meet 21st century talent needs, HR leaders and executive recruiters are leveraging new tools and capitalizing on analytics to adapt their strategies and address changing trends. As we all know, anyone who’s been put in charge of selecting a new leader has a daunting task in front of them.
Recruiters Shifting to Advisory Roles and Service Customization
Search firms are launching expansive initiatives to move their businesses upstream into leadership consulting. Following similar moves taken by rivals, Russell Reynolds Associates recently launched such a drive. The new approach will allow the nation’s No. 5 recruiter to extend its reach further into the C-suite, where its consultants can achieve maximum productivity, and margins.
The Stakes for Talent are Higher Than Ever
With more than 400 consultants in 47 offices around the world, Russell Reynolds Associates works closely with public, private and non-profit organizations across all industries and regions. Constantine Alexandrakis, leads the firm’s U.S. business as well as the global leadership & succession practice. In the following interview, he discusses the current landscape of the executive
Expanding the Traditional Recruitment Model
TalentRISE, a Chicago-based executive search firm, has developed a new approach to talent acquisition that seems to be catching on with clients. The firm’s CEO, Rick Gray, acknowledged several years ago that an ever-increasing percentage of the workforce is choosing or has made the choice to work as independent contractors. Mimicking that trend, TalentRISE itself
Why Interim Hiring Will Soon Be Big Business in the U.S.
Overseas, hiring interim talent for short term leadership needs has been a compelling option for companies for years. According to recruiters who specialize in the space, interim recruiting is big business – and getting bigger. It generates around $2 billion annually in just the U.K. alone. British search out fit Norman Broadbent, which recently raised
The Big Upside In Leadership Training
Leadership training has turned into more than just an evolving interest among executive search firms. It is now seen as a potentially lucrative, bottom line business driver and every search firm is either offering the service in one form or another or about to jump in. Transitioning new hires, especially in their early stages of
Expanding Platforms Set New Direction, Rich Milestones, for Executive Recruiters
The top 50 executive search firms doing business across the Americas reached a new milestone in 2016, collectively generating $3.1 billion in revenue. For the group, top line growth jumped 9.7 percent – a slight slowdown from previous years, but a clear continuation of an incredible run for an industry that just a decade ago was
A Year On From Brexit: ‘Business As Usual’ for Recruiters
A year ago, anyone uttering the word Brexit in the U.K. was looked at with quite a bit of trepidation. At the time, a host of executive recruiters were predicting that any move resulting in a break from the E.U. would be the death knell for their business and the talent industry, especially for those
Executive Search Industry Leaders Offer Up Bold Predictions
Predicting the future could practically be its own business sector. Whether the prognostications are coming from the Magic 8-Ball, Punxsutawney Phil or CNBC’s Jim Cramer, people want to know what lies ahead. So it was that Hunt Scanlon Media rounded up a collection of soothsayers from the search industry to provide their insights about the changes that
Life Sciences and Healthcare Search Firms Tap Outside Talent
As the life sciences sector continues to expand and reshape itself, organizations at the vanguard in the field are looking to renew and refresh their leadership ranks. In demand: multi-skilled executives who can effect change on many levels. Stepping up to the task are search consultants, recruiting well-rounded individuals who understand science as well as
Meeting Clients at Their Point of Changing Need
Preston Smith emerged recently as a new leader in executive search. He has a unique leadership background of more than 20 years serving both the private and public sectors at the intersection of healthcare, law and business. He’s now president of Tyler & Company, a recruitment firm specializing in finding healthcare, academic and life sciences
Executive Searches Remain a Priority Under Affordable Care Act
Uncertainty over how the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) will take shape could result in life sciences and healthcare companies assuming a ‘wait and see’ mode before investing capital dollars for executive hiring. But the large number of people insured through the ACA has created additional demand for health service – in fact, the industry
Competing for Talent On the Global Stage
The life sciences sector is rapidly expanding – and as it does, the need for senior level executives who can transition and transform businesses within it is accelerating. Specialist recruiters are stepping up by targeting versatile leaders with strong backgrounds in global marketing and finance. One thing is clear: The number of quality candidates isn’t
Why Physician Leaders are Now Trending
Due to the uncertainty and volatility in the U.S. healthcare sector, health systems are now looking more proactively at physician leaders who may be better positioned to relate, communicate and navigate changes on the horizon. To executive recruiters specializing in the sector, they are the new standard-bearers ready to champion the greatest overhaul ever seen
PE Firms Seek ‘Holy Grail’ Leadership
Based on the explosive growth and future expansion possibilities within the life sciences and healthcare fields, venture capital and private equity firms are putting investment capital to work. What’s caught their eye, say recruiters, are two things: disruption and innovation. Both shifts require people and senior leaders to oversee them. As new companies are formed
Advancement Trailblazers: Recruiting Mission and Purpose Driven Leaders
An extension of development and fundraising in academic and non-profit organizations, ‘advancement’ leadership represents not only a change in the wording, but also in the skill set that is now required at the highest levels of these leading institutions. In recent years, both sectors have shifted toward more integrated models of collaboration between communications, marketing,
Seeking Passionate, Consensus-Building Talent
Jim Zaniello is president and founder of Vetted Solutions, a Washington, D.C.- based executive search firm specializing in serving the leadership needs of associations, non-profit organizations, hospitality and destination marketing industries. The firm focuses on recruiting board directors, CEOs and senior staff positions, providing personalized solutions tailored to each client’s needs and employer brand. In
Why Recruiters Fixate On Fundraising Skills
Nearly two million non-profit organizations employ approximately 10.7 million people and produce revenue in excess of $1.9 trillion. That figure elevates non-profits as the third-largest employer. “One in 10 jobs in America is a non-profit job. It’s a really significant economic contributor as a sector,” said BoardWalk Consulting managing director Kathy Bremer, whose clients include
Purpose-Driven Focus Fuels Calibre One
Purpose-driven search firms specializing in placing senior-level executives offer up candidates who can foster innovation with meaningful impact. It is a relatively new recruiting specialty that is now in hot demand. Venesa Klein, one of 11 partners at Calibre One, an international search firm with offices in San Francisco, Menlo Park, London, Singapore, Sydney and
Why Charitable Organizations Often Turn to Hybrid Leaders
According to recruiters, chief development officers are in demand as fundraising acumen and having an ability to drive growth are essential skills required to run non-profit and charitable enterprises. When executive search firm Lochlin Partners placed Anthony Sciacca as chief development officer for Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) recently, the incoming leader was charged with designing
Recruitment of Academia Presidents On Rise
Reduced state funding, rising tuition costs, soaring student debt and decreased federal research funding have all contributed to a dramatic rise in the role search firms are playing in the recruitment of university presidents and chancellors. Recruiters are adept at managing a process that can be fraught with political and financial intrigue as well as
Big Growth in Store as Executive Recruiters Slowly Adapt to Automated Technologies
The executive search industry’s leading 50 players in the Americas once again surpassed $3 billion in revenues last year, according to recent statistics collected by Hunt Scanlon Media. The group collectively jumped by near double digits, continuing a spectacular run for an industry that just a decade ago was left reeling from the Great Recession.
Talent Shortage Could Threaten Business Growth and Recruiting
A worldwide talent shortage of more than 85 million people could occur by 2030, according to a fresh report out of Korn Ferry – and that could lead to $8.5 trillion in unrealized revenue. How this might impact the executive search business is anyone’s guess. The eye-opening figures are the latest in Korn Ferry’s multiyear
New York Remains Power Center for Recruiting
Perhaps no market is as vibrant, or challenging, for the executive search industry as New York. A decade since the last big recession rocked their world, bankers and other financial industry titans – and the recruiters who serve them – are thriving once again. But the many other organizations that call the Big Apple home,
Search Industry Predictions . . .
Executive Search Review is now in its 27th year. We invite you to take a look at our latest issue and check out these predictions from leading recruiters. Six executive recruiting luminaries share their predictions on where the search industry is heading – from fees and growth to cybersecurity talent needs, the rise of artificial intelligence,
The Generational Shift: Millennials Entering the C-Suite
By 2025, according to some estimates, Millennials will represent 75 percent of the U.S. workforce, as the Baby Boomer generation retires and younger Millennials continue to enter work. The oldest Millennials are now 37, and some are in management positions; the youngest, at 21, are in their first jobs or still in education or training.
What Do Millennials Value Most?
Sam Mesquita joined Scottsdale, AZ-based executive search firm Govig & Associates last May as marketing communications coordinator. He’s 23. In his role, he manages marketing and branding. He describes himself as a ‘passionate creative’ who loves communications strategy. Anything that falls under the umbrella of marketing, he manages. As a Millennial working in a fast-paced
How to Prepare Millennials For Executive Leadership
Millennials seem to have their very DNA attuned with the hyper connectivity that our world has adopted, John Nimesheim of Slayton Search Partners noted in a recent report. As this generation begins the slow but steady ascent up the corporate ladder, spreading their influence and sharing their purchasing power, how do we prepare them for
Millennials Look to the Non-Profit Sector
Deemed the ‘giving generation,’ Millennials can be one of the non-profit world’s most valuable assets. Sixty percent of Millennials want a sense of purpose in their work and 77 percent chose their job based on that desire, according to the ‘Deloitte Millennial Survey.’ These factors create the perfect environment for non-profits to attract, hire, and
Generations X and Z Can’t Be Forgotten
With so much attention directed at upstart Millennials, employers may be overlooking their employees from the 40-something generation and first generation to know only a digital world, Generations X and Z, respectively. New research out of the U.K. shows that employees from Generation X mirror many of the workplace trends of their younger counterparts in
Sports and Entertainment Expansion Elevating Search Business
Over the last 25 years, sports has grown into a formidable global industry. Historically, professional sports teams operated on a relatively modest level, with league officials, team owners, managers, and coaches surrounding themselves with people they knew and trusted from their own small worlds. College sports teams relied on in-house search committees and word-of-mouth recommendations.
eSports Recruiting Expanding Fast
eSports is a relatively new form of entertainment best known for its use of organized video game competitions between professional players. Taking the executive search industry by storm, eSports has recruiters scrambling to identify senior-level talent to meet the rising demand. A number of non-traditional sports sponsors and executives have entered the eSports industry, which
Why Jed Hughes is Arguably the Best Sports Recruiter in the Business
Simply put, Jed Hughes is the best known recruiter in the sports executive search industry. Not only did he gain practical experience coaching under several Hall of Fame football coaches, his academic credentials are top-flight with a masters degree from Stanford and a Ph.D from Michigan. Mr. Hughes has elevated Korn Ferry’s sports practice to
Help Wanted: Senior Executives Who Can Stimulate Innovation
The sports industry is changing, and the need for talented senior-level executives who can stimulate innovation is in heavy demand. It is a fairly new recruiting concept for some search firms. For others, the transition has been seamless. One of these go-to search consultants is Sucherman Group CEO Erik Sorenson. He is well-versed in media
Sports Recruiting Enters Prime Time
An industry veteran with nearly 40 years of experience in the sports business, Scott Carmichael founded Prodigy Sports in 2007. Now entering his 10th year leading the search firm, Mr. Carmichael has established Prodigy Sports into one of the nation’s premier boutique executive search firms, working with a roster of clients that reads like a
Why Data Analytics Is the New Game Changer for Search Firms
As workforce management paradigms shift to meet 21st century talent needs, HR leaders and executive recruiters are leveraging new tools and capitalizing on analytics to adapt their strategies and address changing trends. As we all know, anyone who’s been put in charge of selecting a new leader has a daunting task in front of them.
Recruiters Shifting to Advisory Roles and Service Customization
Search firms are launching expansive initiatives to move their businesses upstream into leadership consulting. Following similar moves taken by rivals, Russell Reynolds Associates recently launched such a drive. The new approach will allow the nation’s No. 5 recruiter to extend its reach further into the C-suite, where its consultants can achieve maximum productivity, and margins.
The Stakes for Talent are Higher Than Ever
With more than 400 consultants in 47 offices around the world, Russell Reynolds Associates works closely with public, private and non-profit organizations across all industries and regions. Constantine Alexandrakis, leads the firm’s U.S. business as well as the global leadership & succession practice. In the following interview, he discusses the current landscape of the executive
Expanding the Traditional Recruitment Model
TalentRISE, a Chicago-based executive search firm, has developed a new approach to talent acquisition that seems to be catching on with clients. The firm’s CEO, Rick Gray, acknowledged several years ago that an ever-increasing percentage of the workforce is choosing or has made the choice to work as independent contractors. Mimicking that trend, TalentRISE itself
Why Interim Hiring Will Soon Be Big Business in the U.S.
Overseas, hiring interim talent for short term leadership needs has been a compelling option for companies for years. According to recruiters who specialize in the space, interim recruiting is big business – and getting bigger. It generates around $2 billion annually in just the U.K. alone. British search out fit Norman Broadbent, which recently raised
The Big Upside In Leadership Training
Leadership training has turned into more than just an evolving interest among executive search firms. It is now seen as a potentially lucrative, bottom line business driver and every search firm is either offering the service in one form or another or about to jump in. Transitioning new hires, especially in their early stages of
Expanding Platforms Set New Direction, Rich Milestones, for Executive Recruiters
The top 50 executive search firms doing business across the Americas reached a new milestone in 2016, collectively generating $3.1 billion in revenue. For the group, top line growth jumped 9.7 percent – a slight slowdown from previous years, but a clear continuation of an incredible run for an industry that just a decade ago was
A Year On From Brexit: ‘Business As Usual’ for Recruiters
A year ago, anyone uttering the word Brexit in the U.K. was looked at with quite a bit of trepidation. At the time, a host of executive recruiters were predicting that any move resulting in a break from the E.U. would be the death knell for their business and the talent industry, especially for those
Executive Search Industry Leaders Offer Up Bold Predictions
Predicting the future could practically be its own business sector. Whether the prognostications are coming from the Magic 8-Ball, Punxsutawney Phil or CNBC’s Jim Cramer, people want to know what lies ahead. So it was that Hunt Scanlon Media rounded up a collection of soothsayers from the search industry to provide their insights about the changes that
Life Sciences and Healthcare Search Firms Tap Outside Talent
As the life sciences sector continues to expand and reshape itself, organizations at the vanguard in the field are looking to renew and refresh their leadership ranks. In demand: multi-skilled executives who can effect change on many levels. Stepping up to the task are search consultants, recruiting well-rounded individuals who understand science as well as
Meeting Clients at Their Point of Changing Need
Preston Smith emerged recently as a new leader in executive search. He has a unique leadership background of more than 20 years serving both the private and public sectors at the intersection of healthcare, law and business. He’s now president of Tyler & Company, a recruitment firm specializing in finding healthcare, academic and life sciences
Executive Searches Remain a Priority Under Affordable Care Act
Uncertainty over how the new Affordable Care Act (ACA) will take shape could result in life sciences and healthcare companies assuming a ‘wait and see’ mode before investing capital dollars for executive hiring. But the large number of people insured through the ACA has created additional demand for health service – in fact, the industry
Competing for Talent On the Global Stage
The life sciences sector is rapidly expanding – and as it does, the need for senior level executives who can transition and transform businesses within it is accelerating. Specialist recruiters are stepping up by targeting versatile leaders with strong backgrounds in global marketing and finance. One thing is clear: The number of quality candidates isn’t
Why Physician Leaders are Now Trending
Due to the uncertainty and volatility in the U.S. healthcare sector, health systems are now looking more proactively at physician leaders who may be better positioned to relate, communicate and navigate changes on the horizon. To executive recruiters specializing in the sector, they are the new standard-bearers ready to champion the greatest overhaul ever seen
PE Firms Seek ‘Holy Grail’ Leadership
Based on the explosive growth and future expansion possibilities within the life sciences and healthcare fields, venture capital and private equity firms are putting investment capital to work. What’s caught their eye, say recruiters, are two things: disruption and innovation. Both shifts require people and senior leaders to oversee them. As new companies are formed
Advancement Trailblazers: Recruiting Mission and Purpose Driven Leaders
An extension of development and fundraising in academic and non-profit organizations, ‘advancement’ leadership represents not only a change in the wording, but also in the skill set that is now required at the highest levels of these leading institutions. In recent years, both sectors have shifted toward more integrated models of collaboration between communications, marketing,
Seeking Passionate, Consensus-Building Talent
Jim Zaniello is president and founder of Vetted Solutions, a Washington, D.C.- based executive search firm specializing in serving the leadership needs of associations, non-profit organizations, hospitality and destination marketing industries. The firm focuses on recruiting board directors, CEOs and senior staff positions, providing personalized solutions tailored to each client’s needs and employer brand. In
Why Recruiters Fixate On Fundraising Skills
Nearly two million non-profit organizations employ approximately 10.7 million people and produce revenue in excess of $1.9 trillion. That figure elevates non-profits as the third-largest employer. “One in 10 jobs in America is a non-profit job. It’s a really significant economic contributor as a sector,” said BoardWalk Consulting managing director Kathy Bremer, whose clients include
Purpose-Driven Focus Fuels Calibre One
Purpose-driven search firms specializing in placing senior-level executives offer up candidates who can foster innovation with meaningful impact. It is a relatively new recruiting specialty that is now in hot demand. Venesa Klein, one of 11 partners at Calibre One, an international search firm with offices in San Francisco, Menlo Park, London, Singapore, Sydney and
Why Charitable Organizations Often Turn to Hybrid Leaders
According to recruiters, chief development officers are in demand as fundraising acumen and having an ability to drive growth are essential skills required to run non-profit and charitable enterprises. When executive search firm Lochlin Partners placed Anthony Sciacca as chief development officer for Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) recently, the incoming leader was charged with designing
Recruitment of Academia Presidents On Rise
Reduced state funding, rising tuition costs, soaring student debt and decreased federal research funding have all contributed to a dramatic rise in the role search firms are playing in the recruitment of university presidents and chancellors. Recruiters are adept at managing a process that can be fraught with political and financial intrigue as well as
