InveniasPartners Appoints President
April 1, 2019 – Executive recruitment firms have made a number of top leadership appointments in the past year, many focused on strategy, growth, branding efforts and operations. The latest: InveniasPartners, a Chicago-based healthcare executive search and talent advisory services firm, named Joseph E. Fournier as vice chairman and president. He joined the firm as a partner and chief people officer last year.
Mr. Fournier is a nationally recognized, healthcare leader and military veteran with significant expertise operating large and complex organizations. He has experience leading transformation, developing leaders and guiding workforce planning to provide safe, affordable, top-quality service to patients, customers and communities.
Mr. Fournier previously served as senior vice president and chief people officer of Intermountain Healthcare. Before that, he held executive leadership positions at the University of Michigan Health System as well as UMass Memorial Health Care, leading both systems through significant change and transformation. Earlier in his career, he was an in-house attorney, general counsel and Air Force officer.
“Joe has ignited a spirit of growth at InveniasPartners,” said Curt Lucas, managing partner and founding chairman. “Our firm serves national healthcare clients with a relentless focus on excellence, innovation, and service.”
“As a military veteran, Joe has reinforced our commitment to diversity and inclusion through increased engagement with executives with non-traditional backgrounds and from under-represented communities,” he said. “Joe’s firm belief in servant leadership aligns neatly with the mission-based health care institutions that we serve and propels the professional development of our own team members.”
“Healthcare is a people business first and foremost, so patients, caregivers, and consumers are a top priority for the industry today and in the future,” said Mr. Fournier. “At InveniasPartners, we believe in the uniqueness of every human being and the power of every individual to transform the world. That means we embrace fresh ideas and ground them in practical experience. I’m delighted to be working more closely with Curt to identify and recruit top leaders for healthcare organizations that are rapidly evolving while delivering vital care, research and wellness programs each day.”
In addition to its Chicago headquarters, InveniasPartners has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Salt Lake City and St. Louis. The firm’s clients include BJC HealthCare, Massachusetts General Hospital, University of Iowa Health Care, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Inova and the University of Chicago Medical Center, among others.
Leadership Appointments Rising at Search Firms
Top leadership appointments have been gaining traction at executive search firms over the past year. Here’s a look at several examples 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.
U.K.-headquartered executive search firm VMAGROUP has appointed Andrew Harvey as CEO. He succeeds Julia Meighan, who moves into the role of chair. Mr. Harvey came to the firm in 2013, and for the last two years has been U.K. executive director, responsible for the growth and development of all aspects of the U.K. business.
Waltham, MA-based WinterWyman appointed Scott Ragusa as president, succeeding Bob Boudreau, who had been CEO since 2002. Mr. Ragusa was previously president of WinterWyman’s contract staffing and contingency search businesses. He will now be the executive in charge of companywide operations as the firm shifts away from retained recruiting to contingency and interim work.
Egon Zehnder appointed Edilson Camara as its new CEO. He took over from Rajeev Vasudeva, who stepped down in October after holding the position since 2014. Based in Toronto, Mr. Camara assumed the role immediately, becoming the sixth CEO in the firm’s 55-year history.
Perth, Australia-based executive search firm Gerard Daniels 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.
Spencer Stuart appointed Ben Williams as its new CEO, succeeding Kevin Connelly, who served two three-year terms as the firm’s leader after previously serving six years as its chairman. Mr. Williams previously led Spencer Stuart’s North American business and, before that, led its financial services practice in the region.
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
