Massey Henry Launches in Canada

June 7, 2021 – Massey Henry has opened its doors in Toronto as an executive search and board advisory firm specializing in financial services and the public sector. Founder and managing partner, Michael Henry, a seasoned executive search professional, aims to set a new standard for executive recruiting with a streamlined, collaborative approach that enables organizations to recruit diverse top talent for urgent, transformational roles. “In today’s pandemic-driven landscape, we are seeing increased pressures with regard to risk management, regulatory compliance, digitization, and diversity and ESG, at both the board and C-suite levels,” said Mr. Henry, a specialist in the recruitment of senior-level executives and corporate directors in financial services. “This means that having the right leaders in place has never been more critical to our clients. Our data-driven, technology-based approach is key to helping us accelerate the recruitment of top executives who can address these issues and successfully drive change and growth within their organizations. Clients need to be incredibly nimble in today’s landscape and our approach makes this possible.”

Using artificial intelligence technology combined with sector expertise, Massey Henry provides candidate research and a diverse candidate pool, while using custom criteria to assess each candidate for fit. Clients have 24/7 access to their search process which is designed to enhance decision-making and reduce timelines by half. The firm is backed by an experienced advisory board of top leaders from these sectors, including George Cooke, board chair of OMERS; Bill Hatanaka, board chair of Ontario Health; Johanne Brossard, board director and former president and CEO of ING Direct Canada; Eric Wetlaufer, board director of Investment Management Corporation of Ontario and the TMX Group; Lynne Kilpatrick, board director and senior retail banking executive; and Sharon Pel, chair of the board of trustees for OPTrust.

Executive Recruiters & Talent Leaders
Reveal Market Forecast

The pandemic caused an unprecedented disruption to executive search activity in 2020. Executive recruiters spent the better part of last year resetting expectations in the midst of an unprecedented interruption to their business. But according to recruiting industry leaders interviewed for this report, the search business is turning a significant corner.

We take a critical look back, examine search firm performance, and uncover fresh market opportunities. Leading executive recruiters offer up their viewpoints, and forecasts, for 2021. The good news: optimism reigns. And that means we could be in for one of the biggest growth spurts the executive search sector has enjoyed in years. Here’s our latest thinking. A special thanks to our co-sponsor: N2Growth! Buy your copy today!

“Michael’s vision for Massey Henry is exactly what the market needs to successfully propel our country’s growth and success over the coming months,” said Mr. Cooke. “He brings essential transparency, integrity and innovation to the executive search industry and to the recruitment of many key financial services and public sector leaders. I look forward to being part of the firm’s exciting evolution.”

In addition to executive search, Massey Henry also provides clients with a number of other leadership services to help strengthen their board and executive teams. These include a practice dedicated solely to board advisory, led by experienced board director and former executive of Mercer, John Sanders, as well as a leadership practice, co-led by John McKay and Mary Morand.

“I am a fierce supporter of Canadian talent – both at home and abroad – and believe efficient access to this talent is key to helping organizations achieve maximum business outcomes,” said Mr. Henry. “Massey Henry was founded on the notion that by connecting diverse and inspiring leaders with the right opportunities you can have a tremendous impact on business, culture and our society as a whole. I could not be prouder of our launch in the Canadian market and look forward to continuing to drive the industry forward for years to come.”

Mr. Henry has conducted more than 200 successful C-suite and board searches over the course of his search career with 65 per cent identifying as women and/or BIPOC. He recently led the financial services practice at Odgers Berndtson specializing in the recruitment of senior-level executives and corporate directors in financial institutions, asset management, insurance, financial and risk management, and securities and non-securities regulation.

Open for Business

Over the past year, new recruiting firms have put out shingles around the world in a wide range of industries. Here’s a look at a recent sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:

Mike Sarraille and George Randle have launched Talent War Group, an executive search and leadership consulting firm that will combine top talent processes and insights with executive placement, talent advisory and leadership development services. The authors of “The Talent War: How Special Operations and Great Organizations Win on Talent,” the firm’s founders said the new firm “offers today’s businesses and organizations an advanced, competitive approach in the battle for hiring, developing, and engaging high-performing, A-player leaders.”

Mark Oppenheimer, former CEO Americas for Marlin Hawk in New York, has launched Modern Executive Solutions in Atlanta. He co-founded the new search outfit with his wife, Michelle Domanico, who serves as chief financial officer. Modern’s purpose, according to Mr. Oppenheimer – who serves as chief executive – is to improve “diverse representation within leadership teams.” The firm has spent months collecting, tracking, and analyzing feedback from hundreds of C-level executives before launching recently. Modern bills itself as “an innovative executive search and integrated advisory solutions firm,” underpinned with market intelligence and assessment capabilities – strong points of Mr. Oppenheimer’s while serving in various leadership capacities at Marlin Hawk over a 12-year career with the London-based recruitment provider.

Debra L. Lee, the former CEO of BET Networks, and Rabia de Lande Long, an executive coach and management consultant for top companies, have launched a bi-coastal consulting firm, the Monarchs Collective, centered on elevating black executives and women. “The Monarchs Collective answers the calls for – and clear business value of – diverse leadership, and partners with organizations and executives to make it easier to discover, develop, and promote exceptional black and women executives for boards and leadership roles,” said the firm’s new leaders in a statement. “Frustrated by a perceived lack of qualified candidates who bring diversity but inspired by the great number of extraordinary talent in their networks, the co-founders launched the Monarchs Collective to break old systems and networks. They seek to accelerate efforts to expand leadership pipelines and create measurable and sustainable systems for engaging and retaining diverse talent.”

Ahmad Popalyar has launched Succession Executive Search, a recruiting firm that specializes in finding investment banking and private equity professionals, as well as C-level executives across the middle market. “To win the war for talent, you have to first understand that the battlefield isn’t the same as it was even five years ago,” said Mr. Popalyar, who serves as president and CEO. “It’s digital now. In order to find and attract top-tier talent, you have to be connected to the virtual communities – where the networking, engagement and thought leadership is happening. You must meet the candidates where they are, and actively engage and build relationships with them before they even think about taking on their next role,” he said. “If not, you’ll find yourself spending six to 12 months trying to find that right person that could have been found in one week.

Recruitment industry veteran Tim Walsh has launched Vetted, a boutique recruitment and outplacement firm focused on supporting Greater Boston’s innovation ecosystem. “We want to help companies navigate this new world of talent acquisition, where remote hiring and the renewed importance of diversity hiring have come to the forefront,” said Mr. Walsh. “With all that’s happened in 2020, it’s more important than ever to give back. To put that into action, we’re proud to donate 10 percent of our profits to local charitable causes while partnering with Boston-area businesses who share that mindset and are excited about the good we can do together.”