Gibson Consultants Merges with Enterprise Recruiters

September 28, 2017 – Search firms continue to join forces. The latest: Gibson Consultants, a recruiter that serves healthcare payers and digital health companies, has merged with its affiliate, Enterprise Recruiters, a recruiting firm also focused on digital health companies. The combined company, which will keep the Gibson Consultants name, has also opened an additional office in Wilmington, NC.

Both moves were prompted by growing demand for search services among companies serving the healthcare market, according to the firm. In response to increased complexity and uncertainty from political and market forces, healthcare companies are under pressure to design and execute new business models.

“The competition for talent in healthcare has been brisk since 2010, but I can’t remember when it’s been this fierce,” said James T. Gibson, president of Gibson Consultants. “The supply/ demand imbalance cuts across functional areas and levels, affecting operations through sales and managers and directors up through the C-suite. Our clients place special value in a partner agile enough to meet their needs up and down the organization.”

Recent Labor Department numbers support Mr. Gibson’s assessment: According to the most recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, healthcare employment continued on an upward trend over the month (20,000) and has risen by 328,000 over the year. Employment in hospitals edged up over the month (6,000).

Gibson Consultants has a national client base targeting health plans, hospitals and their digital health partners. Since 2002, it has partnered with healthcare technology/ services organizations, commercial and government health plans and specialty healthcare companies. The firm has conducted senior-level executive healthcare IT searches for companies such as CareCloud, iTriage, Phreesia, Dossia, HealthEdge, AMC Health, Clinithink, Numera, Burgess, pMD, Brightree, Connecture, Interfaceware, Click4Care, PaySpan, Critical Alert, Eldorado, HGS, Halfpenny, Avalere Health, Colibrium, AbbVie, Healthbox, Cotiviti, Aledade and more.

Recent M&A activity

Executive search firms have seen a rise in mergers and acquisitions in other sectors as well. Activity, in fact, seems heightened across the board:

Asset management executive recruiters Grace Point Partners and BraddockMatthews have merged. The joint firm will continue to serve clients across traditional and alternative asset management, including hedge fund, private equity, endowment and foundation, and family office organizations. The firm will be known as BraddockMatthews and have offices in Manhattan and Boston.

DHR International has acquired boutique executive search firm COOPER+LOGAN. With the addition of two new managing partners, the acquisition strengthens DHR’s retail/fashion industry and functional expertise. COOPER+LOGAN, founded in 2008, specializes in the selection of senior-level design, merchandising and creative services candidates for “brand-centric” clients. 

Global recruiter Ward Howell International has acquired Curran Partners, a Stamford, CT-based executive search firm with a concentration in the life sciences, among other sectors it serves. Founded in 1989, Curran Partners became the U.S. member of ECI Group, an international network, in 2003.

Global financial recruiting specialist Options Group acquired MCL Search Ltd, an executive search firm based in London specializing in electronic markets (trading and distribution), prime brokerage/ clearing and financial trading technology with a focus on currencies and fixed income. Founding partners, Maria Aldous and Charlotte Battisti, bring a combined 25 years in executive search.

Focus Search Partners (FSP), the executive search division of talent solutions provider Vaco, has acquired the Dallas, TX-based recruiters Taylor Winfield. With the acquisition, FSP gains a team of professionals with enterprise operating experience across industries including Internet/ digital media, technology/ SaaS software, consumer/ retail/ food service and business services.

ZRG Partners acquired life sciences specialist HM Long Global Partners. As part of the asset acquisition agreement, Helga Long, formerly the chair and CEO of HM Long/ RSVP Group, joined ZRG Partners. Ms. Long is considered one of the world’s top executive search professionals in life sciences.

Jordan Search Consultants, a recruiting firm focused on the healthcare, executive and higher education sectors, acquired Health Search New England (HSNE), a search firm specializing in the recruitment of healthcare providers throughout the Northeast. Financial terms of the deal were undisclosed.

Acertitude acquired Los Angeles-based Olive Avenue Search Partners. Olive Avenue’s founders, Gwen Sabo and Joann Maciejewski, bring deep expertise in the development of research capabilities, training and development, and identifying and engaging top talent. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Ohio-headquartered Torch Group acquired Selker Leadership, a search firm that places candidates in the technology and software fields. Selker Leadership’s president, Gregory L. Selker, will join Torch Group as senior vice president and search operations leader, overseeing the firm’s search practice, including research and candidate development.

Buffkin/ Baker recently merged New York-based WTW Associates into its expanding executive recruiting platform. WTW, a talent provider focused on the media, entertainment, technology and law industries, will integrate its operations into the Buffkin/ Baker New York office. Warren Wasp becomes a partner in the firm, and will head its entertainment/ media practice.

U.K.-based Hydrogen Group acquired Argyll Scott for £3.3 million. Together, the combined firms will deliver recruitment services across multiple functions, industries and countries. The acquisition allows Hydrogen to accelerate international growth plans and benefit from greater strength and depth in the London market.

Walter James recently acquired Euromedica Executive Search Limited. Walter James operates in the life sciences sector with a focus on global enabling units. The acquisition positions the firm to offer end-to-end specialist service across the entire life sciences value chain. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

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