PRESS RELEASES

Demand for New Leadership Drives 30 Percent Surge in Executive Searches at DSG

(April 27, 2021) Diversified Search Group (DSG), the largest woman-founded executive search firm in the world, has seen a 30 percent surge in new business across all sectors compared to this time last year, with the strongest growth driven by the corporate, boards, financial services, life sciences, and education sectors. DSG’s searches are increasing for executive positions at all levels, starting at senior vice president.

This demand for new leadership has accelerated in the past year in the wake of the global pandemic and increased pressure for more diverse talent. A survey by LinkedIn found that in the U.S., the roles of chief growth officer and chief diversity officer grew by 42 percent and 91 percent, respectively, from 2019 to 2020. In addition, Diversified Search Group reports an uptick in the creation of C-suite roles to accommodate companies’ changing needs, such as “chief information security officer” and “chief talent and culture officer.”

Organizations are facing an acceleration in digital transformation, causing them to rethink their business models. Leadership transformation has also accelerated, requiring forward-thinking executives with the ability to operate more collaboratively, with a focus on culture and empowering an increasingly diverse workforce.

“Cultivating new, more diverse leadership was our founding mission, and after decades of work, our expertise in diversity, equity, and inclusion is more in-demand than ever,” said Judee von Seldeneck, Founder and Chair of the largest women-founded search firm in the world. “All industries are undergoing a reinvention to survive, whether pivoting to create a new roadmap for digital transformation including digital communications or determining how to engage employees more effectively. It’s no surprise to see that these industries are increasingly seeking dynamic leaders who will be able to successfully navigate the future workplace.”

“Our pioneering work in the industry is meeting its moment,” said Dale Jones, CEO of DSG. “With the most diverse leadership team of a top-ten executive search firm in the United States, our perspectives and expertise are in greater demand than ever.”

DSG has a consistent track record of placing the most diverse candidates in the industry, and in 2020, 76 percent of their placements were comprised of women and/or people of color.