Momenta Expands in the U.S.
February 19, 2019 – Zurich-based executive search firm Momenta Partners has continued to strengthen its footprint in the U.S. with the addition of Bill O’Such as a strategy partner. He will be based out of the firm’s San Francisco office.
Mr. O’Such brings over 20 years of extensive history of connected industry leadership roles in mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships and investments, driving international business and expansion for Fortune 500 companies.
As an industry veteran with a multi-disciplinary skill-set, his experience includes leading initial digital offerings, delivering strategy workshops, developing competitive intelligence, assessing technology players and managing compound projects. He is a cross-company expert with deep market, product and technology insights in IIoT, analytics, autonomous vehicle software, fog/edge computing, network function virtualization and modern DevOps.
Previously, Mr. O’Such worked at a subsidiary of Intel as a senior director in strategy and corporate development where he refined the company’s business strategy and managed an ongoing M&A/investment program. He spearheaded inorganic deals including business justification, candidate assessment, presentations to executive staff, discovery, negotiation, diligence, value drivers and all aspects of deal execution. Before that, he was with Wind River, then still an independent company, as senior director in strategic engagements.
“Momenta had the pleasure to support Bill in his corporate development role leading and driving digital transformation of Intel’s Wind River subsidiary,” said Jesse DeMesa, partner at Momenta Partners. “Bill comes to us at our own inflection point as we accelerate our growth across all our practice areas. Bill’s strong connected industry background and his exceptional track record in corporate development, M&A and executing digitalization strategies brings added depth and breadth to our team.”
“The Momenta team’s reputation as innovators, enablers and thought leaders is first class and they are ideally positioned at the center of today’s connected industry transformation,” said Mr. O’Such. “I am pleased to have the opportunity to join their team at this ideal time and to advise companies on developing, accelerating and optimizing their digital offerings.”
Growing Search Firm
Momenta provides executive search services to the connected and digital transformation industries. It serves a wide range of clients, ranging from Fortune 500 leaders to venture-backed innovators. The firm has completed board, CEO, EVP, SVP, VP and director searches across all functions, within major vertical markets and on every continent. Its clients include Schneider Electric, Accenture, SIGFOX, Savi Technology, MiX Telematics and Eurotech Inc., among others.
Last month, Momenta added Andy Matthy as a partner in its executive search practice in Philadelphia. Mr. Matthy spent the last five years with Hobbs & Towne as a vice president in the firm’s executive search practice. He specialized in the sustainability, infrastructure and renewables markets, with a specific focus on the utility scale sector and assisting early-stage organizations with the commercialization of emerging technologies. He has experience placing executives across a variety of disciplines, including project finance, project development, commercial management, construction, PSCM, engineering and technology.
In October, Momenta Partners joined forces with Enertech Search Partners to launch Quantal Search, a professional search practice focused on “deep talent.” Quantal will focus on placing talent that are designing and operationalizing disruptive technologies including data science, blockchain and augmented reality, as well as associated operational and commercial teams. Enertech Search Partners has served cleantech companies globally and has been placing energy transformation leaders since 2009, across smart grid, distributed energy, energy analytics and the Internet of Things.
Momenta Partners also recently expanded with the addition of Laura Westby as partner. She assists the firm in growing the advisory, executive search and ventures business globally from offices in Basel, Switzerland and Minneapolis, MN. Ms. Westby has more than 20 years’ experience driving commercial arrangements, strategic counsel and corporate development in deep technology sectors. Previously, Ms. Westby was with Syngenta, where she was corporate counsel, associate general counsel and head of legal, intellectual and licensing.
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