MediaLink Names Leader of Executive Search Division

June 15, 2018 – MediaLink, an Ascentia-owned advisory company, has appointed Trish Shortell as managing director, executive search, based in its New York office. In her role, she will lead the firm’s executive search practice and will report to Michael Kassan, MediaLink’s chairman and CEO.

“Trish is widely sought-after in our industry for her thought leadership and counsel on talent-based business structures,” said Mr. Kassan. “The breadth of her experience is dynamic, spanning industries from professional services, retail, finance, tech, and healthcare. Coupled with her tenure and impact at WPP over a period of rapid transformation, this multifaceted perspective is a huge asset to industry players seeking the type of bespoke talent their changing businesses require,” he said.

Ms. Shortell’s career spans 25 years in executive search. She joins the strategic advisory firm from RSR Partners, a boutique search firm where she led the marketing services practice. Prior to that, she spent more than a decade at WPP as senior vice president, executive recruiting and talent management. Her earlier recruiting experience included both search firm and client-side roles. Ms. Shortell was formerly with Heidrick & Struggles, where she executed searches for clients ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to multi-national corporations. At Heidrick, she was also a training and development faculty member and initiated a firm-wide process for enhancing diversity efforts. In addition, Ms. Shortell also spent several years at law firm Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft. Earlier in her career she served as chairperson of British American Business Inc.

“Joining the team at MediaLink was an exciting decision for me in light of the enormous change happening in the media, marketing, entertainment and tech industries now,” said Ms. Shortell. “We’re at a moment in time where new entrants are buying and competing with traditional players, and legacy companies are going through constant reinvention. I knew I wanted to be at the epicenter of this world. In many ways, we’re helping to define what leadership looks like for the next generation.”

MediaLink operates at the intersection of media, marketing, advertising, entertainment, technology and finance, delivering companies the advice, partners and opportunities they need to enable change and drive actionable solutions. The firm helps companies execute in the core areas of revenue acceleration, industry marketing, investor strategy, data and technology solutions, and talent (including retained executive search). Founded in 2003 by Michael E. Kassan, MediaLink employs more than 150 professionals in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Frankfurt and Berlin.

Offering Search Solutions

Over the past year, a number of other organizations have expanded their retained executive search services or added them to their respective offerings as the top-end talent sector heats up globally. Here’s a sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media Archives:

Vancouver-based recruitment company Goldbeck Recruiting recently launched a retained executive search division. For almost 20 years, Goldbeck has been helping companies fill mid- to senior-level positions on a contingency recruitment basis, and has accepted clients on a retained executive search upon request. 

U.K.-headquartered recruiting organization Datacenter People has formed a new executive search subsidiary, Portman Partners, to focus on C-level leadership and senior executive roles within the datacenter industry worldwide. “This is a new chapter in the growth of the firm” said Peter Hannaford, founder of Datacenter People. 

Partners in Human Resources International (Partners International), a New York City-based provider of career transition services, executive coaching and talent consulting, has formed an executive search practice. Peter Movesian has joined the firm as senior vice president of executive search and will lead the new division.

The Medicus Firm, which specializes in permanent placement of physicians has created a physician executive recruiting division. The firm has conducted physician executive level searches for several years on a smaller scale, which was largely driven by established clients within the firm’s private practice sector.

AMM Communications, a St. Louis-based public relations, communications skills training and marketing firm, launched an executive search division to help clients identify talent for management positions in sales, business development, marketing, finance, accounting and operations. Ed Mayuga will manage the new division while overseeing the talent acquisition process.

U.K.-headquartered recruiting company TeamJobs appointed search veteran Sally Bennett to head its new executive search division. Ms. Bennett, a former executive recruitment director with 13 years of industry experience, will spearhead the firm’s advance into executive recruitment, sourcing candidates from senior manager to board level.

Irvine, CA-based professional services firm GPG Advisers appointed Bernie Ocampo as a managing director and leader of its newly-established executive search platform. Mr. Ocampo has nearly 30 years’ experience in the real estate and alternative investment industries. He previously served as principal of ELEOS Group, a boutique executive search and consulting firm.

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