Odgers Berndtson Expands in France
June 13, 2019 – Building on a period of unprecedented expansion, global search firm Odgers Berndtson has inked a new partnership in France with the addition of Singer & Hamilton, a 30 year-old search firm that specializes in executive search and executive assessment with strong expertise in financial services, life sciences, technology, industry, fashion, luxury and private equity.
“Odgers Berndtson is the only European-based executive search firm based in Europe, which is central to our customer offering,” said Kester Scrope, CEO of Odgers Berndtson. “This agreement significantly strengthens our business in Europe’s largest markets and gives us additional space in key areas such as financial services and life sciences at a pivotal time.”
Singer & Hamilton will immediately change its name to Odgers Berndtson France and will work directly with all of the firm’s entities, but will focus its attention on its largest European offices based in Germany and the Netherlands.
“We are very happy to join Odgers Berndtson,” said Eric Singer, co-founder and CEO of Singer & Hamilton. “This partnership will enable us to acquire a truly international dimension for the first time since the firm’s creation, and also expand our offering exponentially with our European customers.”
This new partnership is the second that Odgers Berndtson has achieved to expand its network in Europe since the end of 2017, when the firm opened its first offices in Dublin, Ireland.
For more than a half century, Odgers Berndtson has delivered executive search, leadership assessment and development strategies to organizations globally. The firm’s 250-plus partners cover more than 50 sectors and operate out of 59 offices in 29 countries. The U.S. wing of the firm launched in 2011 and is one of the fastest growing search firms in the Americas. Odgers Berndtson currently has U.S. offices in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Expansion Wave
Odgers Berndtson has recently experienced a wave of growth. In April, the firm named Jamie Crittenberger as a partner in its U.S. sports practice. He is based in Washington, D.C. Mr. Crittenberger joins Odgers from Spencer Stuart, where he was a member of that firm’s global consumer practice and co-leader of its North American sports business practice.
Odgers Berndtson Strengthens Technology Practice, Adding Three Specialists
Odgers Berndtson expanded the size of its technology practice with the additions of Kevin Anderson and Doug Gladstone as partners and Lauren Claypool as a principal.
Recently, Odgers added longtime search professional Russell Boyle as a partner and co-leader of the firm’s CFO practice in the U.S., while Evan McClure signed on as a partner in the life sciences and healthcare practices. Mr. Boyle was previously a managing director at Herbert Mines, a boutique firm focusing on the retail sector, and a senior partner at Egon Zehnder, where he founded and led the U.S. CFO practice and co-founded its global CFO practice. Mr. McClure joined Odgers from boutique search firm Life Science Partners, where he served as a partner leading engagements in mid-tech and biopharmaceuticals.
In addition, Odgers opened a corporate and government affairs practice in the U.S., bringing in Conrad Woody as a partner and practice leader As head of the U.S. corporate and government affairs practice, Mr. Woody will specialize in senior placements for companies, trade associations and non-profits in the government affairs, corporate communications, public affairs and economic development verticals. He came to the firm from Korn Ferry where, as a principal in its corporate affairs practice, he conducted senior-level searches for corporate communications, government affairs, trade association and non-profit professionals.
The recruiting firm also opened a new office in Atlanta with the additions of Mats-Ola Bydell and Christopher Grahn. The Atlanta office is being led by Mr. Bydell, who joined Odgers Berndtson as a partner in the industrial practice. He specializes in board and senior executive succession for both large and mid-cap global companies, and has extensive experience providing executive search and talent solutions to North American and global European-headquartered clients. Mr. Bydell came from Korn Ferry, where for 10 years he was a senior client partner in its global industrial market.
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
