Fiduciary Search Group Launched to Serve Wealth Management Industry

April 11, 2018 – An array of new recruiting firms has been launching around the world in recent months.

The latest: Wealth management industry veteran Michael Brody, along with KDS Strategic Search, announced the establishment of Fiduciary Search Group (FSG), a recruiting, placement and search firm offering a new model designed to provide fiduciary representation for premier wealth managers, RIAs and small to mid-sized broker dealers. Fiduciary Search Group, which is based in Westwood, NJ, serves a client base across the U.S. and internationally.

Carving out a new niche in recruiting to cater to today’s complex wealth management landscape, Fiduciary Search also encompasses a consulting division, which provides project-specific recruiting strategies and solutions to a select number of larger wealth management companies.

Mr. Brody has more than two decades of experience in wealth management and recruiting. In 2017, he joined KDS Strategic Search Group, which collaborated with him to officially launch Fiduciary Search Group. For this new firm, Mr. Brody serves as the group’s co-founder and managing partner, with Fiduciary Search Group positioned as a KDS company.

Previously, Mr. Brody was dedicated regional manager for Rainmaker Associates, which recruits financial advisors. Before that, he served as president of Lateral Attorney Search and managing director of B2B Legal Solutions.

“While considering potential partnerships for Fiduciary Search Group’s recruiting model, KDS Strategic Search’s proven track record of success separated them from all other options,” said Mr. Brody. “FSG will benefit immensely from direct access to their vast resources, as well as the collective wisdom and experience of the KDS senior leadership team.”

“Our 4D Process of ‘discovery, due diligence, discussion and discernment’ brings the most appropriate options with the maximum benefits for our clients into focus,” Mr. Brody said. “Our responsibility is to ensure clients have the freedom to select the best opportunity for them, with the comfort of knowing all the cards were on the table.”

David Klein, co-founder and CEO of KDS Strategic Search, said he and his team are excited to have Mr. Brody on board. “Our own search for an experienced recruiting executive in the wealth management space led us to Brody, and we were wholly impressed with his vision,” he said. “His wealth management experience and forward-thinking approach to recruiting are strong additions to our platform and client services.”

Open for Business

In recent months, new recruiting firms have put out their shingles around the world in a wide range of industries. Here’s a look at a recent sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:

Flashlight Partners, an executive recruitment firm based in Carmel, IN, has opened for business. “I believe that one should live intentionally and not vicariously,” said founder and CEO Laura Latham, in a recent interview. “For me, being intentional meant starting a company where values and relationships mattered more than business transactions.

Former Credit Suisse banker and personnel consultant Christian Haas has opened Haas Associates in Zurich to focus on the asset management industry. Mr. Haas has more than 10 years of practical experience in the field of asset management. Previously he was active as, amongst other things, the head of business development institutional clients at Credit Suisse.

Simon Pollock has launched Simon Pollock & Co in London, specializing in senior level executive search in global media and entertainment. Mr. Pollack most recently served as head of the media & entertainment practice at Heidrick & Struggles. Before that, he was a partner at the SevenArts, a boutique search firm.

Veteran executive recruiter Jennifer Muller has launched Academic Career and Executive Search (ACES), a higher education search firm focused on high precision, flexible executive search services, career planning and candidate coaching. Ms. Muller has 20 years of experience in research and development for higher education and Fortune 500 companies.

A new executive recruitment firm, Hanning Recruitment, has been launched in the U.K. It is headed by Toby Speke and backed by Rory Penn and Thomas van Straubenzee of the London agency VanHan. Mr. Speke previously worked for VanHan as well as global real estate firm Knight Frank.

Anuj Dhawan, former director and partner at Positive Moves Consulting, an angel investor in a Seattle-based healthcare IoT business, has founded executive search firm Cognitive Talent Partners LLP. Based in Gurgaon, Haryana, India, the firm provides executive search services to private equity funds, banks, consumer lending clients and global technology corporations.

Veteran Edward Batchelor has launched executive search firm Hardman Batchelor International, LLC. Based in Austin, TX, the firm specializes in recruiting and assessing leading board directors, CEOs and C-level executives with a particular focus on cultivating the Austin market.

The U.K. office of global search firm Boyden has launched a new executive search and interim management business called Savannah Group. Savannah’s team of 50 includes 20 partners that are specialists in their fields, including board and corporate functions, financial services, hospitality travel & leisure, industrial, digital and media, sport & entertainment industries.

Search industry veterans Ian Macleod and Paul Atkinson have joined forces to form Atkinson Macleod Executive Search. The firm focuses on board and senior executive level searches for the private and public sectors. Mr. Macleod spent 16 years running the Scottish arm of Odgers Berndtson after serving for 10 years with the Norman Broadbent.

Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media