Korn Ferry Appoints Vice Chairman for CEO and Board Practice

January 4, 2021 – Korn Ferry recently appointed Michael Morcos as vice chairman of the firm’s CEO and board practice in EMEA. He will be based between the firm’s Dubai and London offices.

“Michael is a widely respected leader with vast executive search and consulting experience spanning multiple industries,” said Pascal Gibert, co-president, EMEA, Korn Ferry. “He brings strong passion and fresh perspectives to our firm that will benefit our clients across the EMEA region and our colleagues. Michael will be a key addition to the Korn Ferry team, and we’re thrilled to have him.”

With more than 20 years of experience in international management consulting, recruiting and executive search, Mr. Morcos brings his expertise to clients on key issues such as board alignment, leadership development, post-merger integration and leadership assessment, and executive search. Mr. Morcos’ clients include global MNCs, ruling families, governments, SWFs, industrial conglomerates and financial institutions.

Mr. Morcos joins Korn Ferry from Heidrick & Struggles, where he led the Dubai office and served as managing partner of the Middle East and North Africa. He was also a leader of the CEO and board practice and a member of the financial services, private equity, energy, natural resources, and global technology practices. Mr. Morcos is a governor of the GCC Board of Directors Institute and sits on other family office boards

Before joining the executive search profession, Mr. Morcos worked for an advisory firm, where he played a leadership role in the global energy, industrial and basic metals practices. He started his career in international operational and management roles in the oil and gas industry. Mr. Morcos holds a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from Imperial College London and an MSc in aerospace engineering from Stanford University.

Other New Addition

Korn Ferry also recently appointed Henrik Maartensson as a senior leader in the firm’s global private equity and industrial practices. Mr. Maartensson joins Korn Ferry from Spencer Stuart, where he co-led the EMEA region, bringing his leadership advisory experience to a range of board and C-level engagements for international companies. Previously, he led the firm’s global transformation program and prior to that he served as global practice leader for the firm’s industrial and supply chain practices.

“Henrik brings rich experience leading complex engagements while working with a broad scope of private equity and industrial organizations,” said Pascal Gibert, co-president, EMEA, Korn Ferry. “He is a natural leader and trusted partner whose regional and industry experience will be an invaluable asset to our clients.”

Virtual Recruiting Solution

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Korn Ferry is entering new markets in a bid for enhanced sources of revenue. One area is outplacement – a field that would have been unheard of for the firm to enter until COVID-19 struck. As it laid off and furloughed employees earlier this year, and cut pay for nearly every level of employee within its company, the talent leader was seen shifting gears. Instead of bringing people into corporate roles, it is now tapping into ways to help businesses remove them. Conflicts are expected, according to several well-placed sources within the staffing giant.

Korn Ferry also recently launched Korn Ferry Recruit, Nimble, a fully integrated, virtual technology solution for high-volume hiring. It is part of the firm’s line of Nimble solutions. Nimble uses best-in-class AI, along with the proven recruitment intellectual property of Korn Ferry. The firm said that the new solution “is designed to leverage a client’s brand, shifting to a candidate-driven experience by sourcing, attracting, assessing and selecting the right people for the job at an affordable cost-per-hire.”

“Nimble is an efficient and effective tool for organizations that need to quickly ramp up high-volume hiring,” said Jeanne MacDonald, president, Korn Ferry global RPO solutions. “Nimble not only helps widen the net of qualified candidates, it creates success profiles that ensure the people with the rights skills are short-listed. Nimble offers a positive candidate experience in a virtual environment that increases the chances the candidate will accept an offer and stay on the job.”

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