Hobson Leavy Recruits CIO for Altus

December 18, 2019 – The chief information officer is considered among the most strategic roles in any organization. Executive search consultants who specialize in recruiting for the position say that the best CIOs can dramatically differentiate a company in the market, while a poorly performing one can be an organization’s weakest link. Still, headhunting within the function remains challenging, and skilled C-suite IT professionals are among the toughest to find.

Recently, New Zealand executive search firm Hobson Leavy recruited Mark Corboy as the new chief information officer for Altus.

Mr. Corboy has extensive experience leading significant technology initiatives within a manufacturing environment both locally and globally. He joins Altus from Fisher & Paykel Appliances where he is currently acting general manager digital. He commences his role at Altus at end of January.

Altus is a 50/50 joint venture organization formed in late 2016 through the union of Fletcher Aluminium and NALCO. With a rich history of providing market leading innovations and business systems for the construction and industrial sectors, Altus has a strong presence in New Zealand representing some of the most well-known window and door brands in New Zealand.

Hobson Leavy, founded in 2006 by Carrie Hobson and Stephen Leavy, focuses on CEO and executive-level and non-executive director appointments across all sectors in New Zealand. The firm has completed searches in sectors ranging from agriculture to wealth management. It has offices in Auckland and Wellington.

Ms. Hobson has over 25 years of corporate experience, initially in banking and finance and later in executive search. She has held senior positions in corporate banking with major banks in both New Zealand and the U.S. and has worked with top-level executives optimizing financial performance and implementing company strategy. She has held directorships in both the private and public sectors, with particular expertise in finance, health and human resources. Prior to Hobson Leavy, Ms. Hobson was a partner with another New Zealand executive search firm.

Mr. Leavy has extensive international experience in senior-level executive recruitment. He began his career as a solicitor with New Zealand law firm Russell McVeagh. He then moved to London where he joined professional services recruitment firm Quarry Dougall, becoming an associate director. He remained with the firm after its acquisition by Nasdaq-listed TMP Worldwide. Mr. Leavy later returned to New Zealand and was a partner with another leading New Zealand executive search firm before co-founding Hobson Leavy.

CIO Recruiting

It only makes sense that CIO hiring and recruiting information technology teams are on the riseNearly a quarter (22 percent) of U.S. CIOs plan to expand their IT teams, according to the Robert Half Technology “IT Hiring Forecast Trend Report.” It represents a three-point rise from the beginning of last year and an eight percentage-point jump from one year ago.

In recent months, a number of organizations have turned to executive search firms to help them find top flight CIOs. Here are a few of the top assignments tracked by Hunt Scanlon Media:

Rosenzweig & Company placed former Just Energy executive Ash Rajendra as CIO of the Supreme Cannabis Company, where he will focus on ensuring the organization is well prepared to execute on its next phase of growth. Partner Larry Chan led the assignment. Mr. Rajendra is an experienced information technology and business leader who has a deep understanding of vertically integrated products, including operating within a regulated environment.

Scottsdale, AZ-based TillmanPartners recruited Bill Waszak as CIO for NASDAQ-traded American Woodmark in Winchester, VA. “American Woodmark is a well-established industry leader with a strong company culture and a commitment to invest in technology and drive continued innovation in the business,” said Rob Tillman, CEO, who handled the search. 

Chicago-headquartered PearlCare Search Group placed Melvin Masula as CIO of Callen-Lorde Community Health Center. Geoff Zodda, chief solutions officer, IT search, led the assignment for PearlCare. Mr. Masula has 28 years of professional service in the IT industry. Previously, he was director of IT at WellLife Network.

Harris Search Associates, based in Dublin, OH, is considered one of the top search boutiques in this thriving area. The firm recently placed Amy Belew as chief information officer for the University of Tennessee at Martin. Managing partner Jeffrey Harris led the assignment.

Following a nationwide search, global search firm Odgers Berndtson recently placed Stan Waddell as the new associate vice president and chief information officer of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA. Partners Jennifer Biehn, Monica Burton and Kathy Ulrich led the assignment.

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

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