Odgers Berndtson Names Head of U.S. Marketing
January 17, 2019 – Building on its explosive growth in the U.S. last year, global search firm Odgers Berndtson has brought in Soh Won Cha as head of U.S. marketing. She joins the firm from Russell Reynolds Associates, where she was senior marketing manager of the Americas.
“We’re very excited to welcome Soh Won to the Odgers team,” said Steve Potter, CEO of Odgers Berndtson U.S. “She’s a savvy digital strategist with great brand-building insights, and she’s going to play a significant role in steering our social media, thought leadership, and branding initiatives.”
Before beginning her career in executive search, Ms. Cha worked in global marketing communications at Vivaldi Partners Group, a global strategy consulting firm, and was a vice president at Plesser Holland Associates, a boutique public relations agency. She has a bachelor’s degree in government and religion from Dartmouth College, and serves as the volunteer chair of the Dartmouth Club of New York.
“I am thrilled to be joining Odgers Berndtson at this exciting time,” said Ms. Cha. “I am inspired by the firm’s mission to help clients find the best talent and impressed by their unique ability to harness their deep partnerships in addressing leadership issues.”
Search Firms Adding Marketing Leaders to Guide Brands, Create Buzz
Marketing and branding professionals are playing increasingly vital roles at executive search firms as recruiting outfits push into new lines of business, evolve their brands and rev up their social media presence.
Two of the latest: ZRG Partners and the Human Capital Group have appointed new marketing leaders.
The Human Capital Group recently appointed Alex Petrini as the firm’s new marketing manager. Ms. Petrini is an experienced marketing manager with a demonstrated history of working in the staffing and recruiting industry.
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 under Mr. Potter’s stewardship. 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 saw a wave of growth in 2018. Recently, the firm added two more new partners. Longtime search professional Russell Boyle joined the firm 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.
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.
In December, 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.
In October, the recruiting firm 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
