Merc Partners | Spencer Stuart Retained by Ireland Strategic Investment Fund to Find Next Leader

October 6, 2020 – The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), controlled and managed by the National Treasury Management Agency (MTMA), has called in John Glenny and Ruth Curran of Merc Partners | Spencer Stuart to lead its search for a new director. Reporting to the chief executive of the NTMA, the director role requires a high caliber candidate, capable of leading a complex organization with a diverse and evolving range of responsibilities, said the Ireland-based executive search and leadership consulting firm.

In conjunction with the NTMA board and the ISIF investment committee, the director will be charged with leading the development and implementation of business strategies to ensure effective delivery across the ISIF mandate, said the search firm. The individual will also be expected to manage a wide portfolio of investments through the full life cycle and ensure that the ISIF portfolio is optimally configured to deliver on its mandate.

The ISIF’s next director will also be responsible for leading and developing a diverse team of investment professionals. The individual, who will be part of the NTMA executive management team, will also lead and drive the NTMA’s strategy.

Key Qualifications

The person appointed to this role must demonstrate significant executive leadership experience, operating at the director/C-suite level, said Merc Partners | Spencer Stuart. Candidates must also have senior management experience within a private equity, venture capital, global equity investment and/or corporate finance firm. Also essential is the ability to successfully interact with stakeholders at the government, national and international level in both the public and private sectors.

The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund is a €10.5 billion fund with a statutory mandate to invest on a commercial basis in a manner designed to support economic activity and employment in Ireland. The fund focuses on priorities that will support Project Ireland 2040; regional development, housing, indigenous businesses, climate change and sectors adversely affected by Brexit. In addition, the Pandemic Stabilization and Recovery Fund, a fund of about €2 billion, has been created to support Ireland’s economy and business recovery during the COVID-19 crisis.

Founded in 1980 and based in Dublin, MERC Partners specializes in the appointment, assessment and development of senior business leaders for many notable multinational corporations as well as privately owned and public sector organizations in Ireland. Its offerings also include leadership advisory, interim management and the appointment of non-executive directors.

Seasoned Recruiters

Mr. Glenny, a partner with the firm, brings nearly 20 years of executive search industry experience and works with clients to identify leaders that have a focus on driving change and creating long-term shareholder value. He has worked across most business areas but has concentrated, to some extent, on the life science (pharmaceutical and healthcare) technology, financial services and non-profit sectors. Joining MERC Partners in 1995 and as partner from 1998, Mr. Glenny has conducted domestic and international executive search assignments for chief executives, chief operating officers, and chief technology officers and across the complete functional leadership spectrum.

Ms. Curran, managing partner with Merc Partners | Spencer Stuart, has an outstanding record in senior executive, C- suite, board search and general management appointments. She has worked extensively with major organizations in sectors as diverse as media, technology, financial services, globally traded services, FMCG, international shared services and pharmaceutical-biotech. Ms. Curran was global chair of IIC Partners in 2015 and sits on the diversity committee of the AESC. She is a board member of the National Maternity Hospital Foundation and also serves on the Governing Authority of The National University of Ireland, Galway.

Spencer Stuart acquired MERC Partners last year. The addition marked Spencer Stuart’s first client-facing team in Ireland and represents an important addition for its EMEA and global business. Spencer Stuart has had a sizeable corporate operations team based in Dublin for nearly a decade, supporting areas such as technology, legal and intellectual property.

“We are excited to expand our presence in Ireland by welcoming the team at MERC Partners to the Spencer Stuart family,” said Henrik Maartensson, who co-leads the EMEA region for Spencer Stuart. “By formally establishing a client-facing presence in Ireland, we will be better able to serve our clients around the world in this significant and dynamic European market.”

“MERC Partners has an outstanding leadership team and talented colleagues, and they have collectively built a successful and vibrant business in Ireland,” said Mr. Maartensson. “We are impressed by the strength of the team and their capabilities, the firm’s client base and our cultural compatibility. It is clear we share a common belief that deep insight and relationships can fuel the kind of impact that is essential to the success of clients and candidates alike.”

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