Kensington International Sells Career Transition and Leadership Development Operations to Keystone Partners
September 3, 2019 – Oak Brook, IL-based executive search firm Kensington International Inc. has sold its career transition and leadership development business operations to Keystone Partners, a founding member of Career Partners International and a portfolio company of Silver Oak Services Partners.
Kensington International’s legacy talent management business consists of three separate business units (executive search, career transition and leadership development).
Its executive and middle management search business will now operate as a stand-alone entity.
“KI Search – Kensington International’s original and largest business – is as vibrant and independent as ever,” said Brian Clarke, a managing partner and practice lead for the firm’s industrial and infrastructure practice. “It’s business as usual for the executive search business. Having said this, it’s our hope that a broader relationship with Keystone Partners will increase our abilities to refer business back and forth and we look forward to this expanded relationship.”
“We are incredibly excited to take the career transition and leadership development practices to a new level as we join Keystone Partners to capitalize on the combined company’s significant growth opportunities,” said John Myers, a founder and the original managing partner responsible for Kensington International’s career transition and leadership development business. “We look forward to maintaining the strong referral relationship with Kensington International executive search that made us so unique in the market.”
Combined Services
“We are delighted to have the impressive Kensington team join Keystone,” said Ralph Roberto, CEO of Keystone, “We were drawn to Kensington due to its position as a market leader, shared company values, and impeccable reputation that characterizes the company today. This is an exciting time for both Keystone and Kensington as we continue to grow our business and expand our market opportunities.”
Related: RiseSmart Launches New Career Transition Service
“This is a terrific opportunity to leverage the high-quality services and reputation of the combined Kensington/Keystone entity in the career transition and leadership development space,” said Rick George a managing partner of Kensington International executive search and practice lead for the firm’s private equity practice. “Chicago area organizations will continue to receive outstanding service and benefit from enhanced offerings.”
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Founded in 1982, Keystone Partners is a career management and leadership development consulting firm headquartered in Boston. Keystone works with organizations in New England, Chicago, the Research Triangle, and around the world to efficiently and effectively address their career management and development needs.
Since 1989, Kensington International’s executive search business has conducted thousands of search engagements for corporate and private equity clients and their portfolio companies. The team has a track record of recruiting board of directors, CEOs, COOs, CFOs, CHROs as well as other top functional leaders in EPC/infrastructure, healthcare, retail, industrial/gas, oil and chemicals, private equity, financial services and consumer products.
Mr. Clarke has been recognized on BusinessWeek.com’s list of the “World’s Most Influential Headhunters.” He has conducted numerous senior leadership search assignments across the manufacturing, consumer, financial services, infrastructure and gas, oil and chemical sectors. Mr. Clarke manages Kensington International’s search operations and holds a master of management degree from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in personnel and labor relations from Indiana University.
Related: Why Executives Need Career Transition Support, Even in a Hot Job Market
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
