Gerard Daniels Names Alison Gaines as CEO
September 20, 2018 – Executive recruitment firms have made a number of top leadership appointments since the start of the year, many focused on strategy, growth, branding efforts and operations. The latest: Perth, Australia-based executive search firm Gerard Daniels has 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. She will work closely with the advisory board, which includes the firm’s founders, and executive management group to execute strategy and lead financial performance, business development, assignment quality, internal talent acquisition and compliance.
“Alison’s appointment marks the first time in our 33-year history that the CEO role has not been held by a founding partner of the company,” said Lloyd Smith and Michael McAnearney, founding partners and directors of Gerard Daniels. “We see a tremendous opportunity with Alison, who is focused on growing Gerard Daniels by providing outstanding service to our clients, partners and stakeholders.”
Ms. Gaines has over 20 years of management experience, focusing on professional services and human resource management. She spent nine years as CEO of the Law Society of Western Australia, and prior to that was as a senior public servant responsible for government’s strategic human resource management. She also sits on the international boards of College of Law and INSEAD Directors Network and is president of the Australian Institute of Management.
“It’s a great honor to be leading such a forward-looking and talented group of professionals across our ever-growing global network,” said Ms. Gaines. “Working closely with the executive management group and advisory board, I look forward to continuing to grow the exquisite reputation Gerard Daniels has built in existing markets, as well as new markets.”
Established in 1986, Gerard Daniels is an international executive search and board consulting firm with offices in the regions of Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa and the Americas. The firm serves a wide array of industries and senior roles.
Leadership Appointments Rising at Search Firms
Top leadership appointments, particularly naming women, have been gaining traction at executive search firms over the past year. Here’s a look at several taken from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
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.
Columbus, OH-headquartered firm Taylor Strategy Partners appointed Mike Gamble as its new president. Mr. Gamble has been instrumental to Taylor Strategy Partners’ growth since joining the firm as vice president of business development in 2015, the firm said. He has more than 20 years of experience designing comprehensive talent acquisition solutions for leading …
TillmanCarlson appointed Kelly Carlson as its president and CEO. Entering its 16th year, the firm says her promotion sets the stage for growth, innovation and the ability to provide a clear alternative to larger human capital firms. Ms. Carlson joined founder Rob Tillman a year after the search firm was founded after having worked with him in her for Russell Reynolds Associates.
DRG Search appointed Dara Klarfeld as its new CEO. She is now responsible for leading all aspects of DRG’s work with organizations in the non-profit sector. Ms. Klarfeld worked in the non-profit sector for more than a decade before joining DRG Search. Ms. Klarfeld worked in the non-profit sector for more than a decade before joining DRG Search.
Hong Kong-headquartered search firm Bó Lè Associates announced that Pierre Zhuang has resigned as CEO and the board named David Chan, managing director and its Shanghai office head, as its new CEO. Mr. Chan joined the firm in 2015 and was head of Bó Lè Associates’ Hong Kong office prior to taking on the role as head of Bó Lè Shanghai office in August of this year.
U.K.-headquartered Armstrong Craven, a specialist executive search and intelligence consultancy, has named Tom Mason as its new CEO. Mr. Mason previously served as senior vice president at Pontoon Solutions, part of the Adecco Group. Before that, he was a partner at boutique firm Mason McLoud and managing director for EMEA at Allegis Global Solutions.
U.K.-based executive search and interim firm Holmes Noble appointed Donna Chapman as its CEO. Her experience at board level includes mergers and acquisitions, commercial directorship, HR, talent strategies and growth through successful leadership for listed companies, privately-owned and private equity-backed organizations.
Non-profit executive recruiters Higher Talent appointed Mindy Cohen as president and managing partner. Ms. Cohen has been instrumental in establishing the firm’s dedication to educational institutions and non-profits across the country over the past 15 years. She has recruited senior executives, nationally and internationally, for non-profit organizations…
Lois L. Lindauer Searches (LLLS) named Deb Taft as its new CEO. The carefully planned changeover comes as the firm celebrates its 20th anniversary. Chosen by founder Lois L. Lindauer to lead the firm into the next era, Ms. Taft brings over 25 years senior-level development and executive management experience to the role.
Sales-focused executive recruitment provider TwentyPine has promoted Jamie Coakley to CEO. In her new role she is responsible for leading growth strategy and execution of the company’s long-term vision across operations, sales and marketing. Ms. Coakley has a history of re-energizing growth and profitability for mature recruiting and staffing companies.
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
