Cejka Executive Search Names President
April 22, 2019 – Executive recruitment firms have made a number of top leadership appointments in the past year, many focused on strategy, growth, branding efforts and operations. The latest: Cejka Executive Search named Paul Esselman as president.
Mr. Esselman, who has served as the firm’s senior executive vice president and managing director since 2005, has more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare executive search industry, and is a recognized national thought leader on healthcare executive leadership development and talent management. In his new role as president, he will continue to provide counsel to healthcare executive leaders on talent, organizational development and succession planning strategies while providing strategic oversight and operational direction for the Cejka Executive Search team.
“I have had the pleasure of working alongside a team of incredible professionals at Cejka,” said Mr. Esselman. “I look forward to continuing the work we have done and expanding our commitment to building the client and talent relationships that have been instrumental in our firm’s success.”
Prior to joining Cejka Executive Search, Mr. Esselman led sales and marketing and other transformative initiatives in the biotechnology industry for companies such as LipoScience and IMPATH Inc. He leverages his diverse industry experience to help build high-performing teams at leading health care organizations, including hospitals and health systems, academic institutions, physician group practices and managed care.
“Paul is truly one of the most impressive retained search executives I have ever met,” said Kevin Clark, president and CEO of Cross Country Healthcare. “As a nationwide leader, he is very well known and respected among healthcare executives in North America, and I’m excited to have him lead Cejka Executive Search.”
Cejka Executive Search, based in St. Louis, has provided recruiting services exclusively to the healthcare industry for more than 35 years. Its client roster includes Georgetown University Hospital, Northwestern Memorial, Levine Cancer Institute, St. John Providence Health System, Tenet, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, Centene Corp., Cape Fear Valley Health and Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center.
Leadership Appointments Rising at Search Firms
Top leadership appointments have been gaining traction at executive search firms over the past year. Here’s a look at several examples taken from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
InveniasPartners Appoints President
InveniasPartners, a Chicago-based healthcare executive search and talent advisory services firm, named Joseph E. Fournier as vice chairman and president. Mr. Fournier is a nationally recognized, healthcare leader and military veteran with significant expertise operating large and complex organizations.
The RSA Group, which is based in London and focuses on the life sciences sector, has appointed executive chairman Nick Stephens as its CEO. Alex Bennett recently stepped down from the top post. Mr. Stephens has been with RSA since 1986 and leads the firm’s board services practice, handling about five or six C-level assignments each year.
U.K.-headquartered executive search firm VMAGROUP has appointed Andrew Harvey as CEO. He succeeds Julia Meighan, who moves into the role of chair. Mr. Harvey came to the firm in 2013, and for the last two years has been U.K. executive director, responsible for the growth and development of all aspects of the U.K. business.
Waltham, MA-based WinterWyman appointed Scott Ragusa as president, succeeding Bob Boudreau, who had been CEO since 2002. Mr. Ragusa was previously president of WinterWyman’s contract staffing and contingency search businesses. He will now be the executive in charge of companywide operations as the firm shifts away from retained recruiting to contingency and interim work.
Egon Zehnder appointed Edilson Camara as its new CEO. He took over from Rajeev Vasudeva, who stepped down in October after holding the position since 2014. Based in Toronto, Mr. Camara assumed the role immediately, becoming the sixth CEO in the firm’s 55-year history.
Perth, Australia-based executive search firm Gerard Daniels appointed Alison Gaines as the company’s global CEO. Following a 12-year tenure as the head of its board consulting practice and recently as managing partner of Gerard Daniels’ Asia Pacific practice, Ms. Gaines will now lead the firm to continue to drive growth across all regions and offices.
Spencer Stuart appointed Ben Williams as its new CEO, succeeding Kevin Connelly, who served two three-year terms as the firm’s leader after previously serving six years as its chairman. Mr. Williams previously led Spencer Stuart’s North American business and, before that, led its financial services practice in the region.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
