Odgers Berndtson Partners with JDR Consulting
October 9, 2018 – Executive search firm Odgers Berndtson has continued its recent expansion by partnering with JDR Consulting. Founder John de Regt, who has more than 30 years of executive coaching and search experience, is expected to enhance the firm’s leadership service offerings in the U.S.
“John is an exceptionally talented and experienced executive coach,” said Steve Potter, CEO of Odgers Berndtson U.S. “With his unique matrix of experience and education, John’s presence will significantly expand our leadership, executive assessment and development (LEAD) capabilities. Together with the rest of the North American team — Robert Satterwhite and Lisa Tromba in the U.S., and Eric Beaudan in Canada — we look forward to continuing the expansion of our LEAD services,” he said.
Mr. de Regt founded JDR Consulting in 2010. A graduate of the Hudson Institute’s Coach Intensive Training program and its Master Coach program, he is certified in the administration of the Hogan Personality Inventory and the EQi 2.0 emotional intelligence tool, and carries the professional certified coach certification from the International Coach Federation. He specializes in helping senior executives improve their leadership skills and the performance of their business units.
During his 25-year career in executive search, Mr. de Regt specialized in the aerospace, airline and industrial sectors, and was a partner at Spencer Stuart, Heidrick & Struggles and Russell Reynolds Associates. Mr. de Regt earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Dartmouth College in 1972, having attended with a full Navy ROTC scholarship. He is the board president of Warfighter Advance, a not-for-profit that helps veterans of all wars manage post-traumatic stress without the use of pharmaceuticals. For the past 12 years, he has been a member of the Five Mile River Commission, having been appointed by the governor of Connecticut.
Odgers Berndtson Strengthens Education and Sports Practices
Odgers Berndtson has continued its recent expansion with the addition of three new search professionals: Jennifer Biehn, Monica Burton and Greg Santore. Their addition significantly strengthens the firm’s education and sports practices.
For more than 50 years, Odgers Berndtson has delivered executive search, leadership assessment and development strategies to the world’s biggest and best organizations. Its 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 has grown rapidly, now ranking 11th in Hunt Scanlon’s list of top 50 search firms in the Americas.
Expansion Wave
Odgers Berndtson has seen a wave of growth in recent months. In August, the firm hired Nicole Phillips as a partner in the firm’s retail and consumer practices. Ms. Phillips joins Odgers from DHR International, where she was a partner in the global retail & consumer practices. She recruits across a range of functions with an emphasis on marketing, merchandising and digital.
In May, the firm expanded in western Canada with the appointment of Stephen Diotte to partner and head of leadership services for the western region, as well as the firm’s new Canadian energy sector expert. Mr. Diotte has deep consulting experience in working with leaders globally around talent and organizational strategy and redesign, specifically focused on the energy sector. He was most recently an associate partner at McKinsey & Company in Calgary.
In March, the firm added Michael T. Kelly to its Minneapolis office as vice chairman, global head of life sciences, and U.S. head of the healthcare and life sciences practices. Previously, Mr. Kelly was a partner in the life sciences practice with Caldwell Partners.
The firm began the year with the addition of four experienced and well-established executive search professionals: Richard Kim, Diane Lavietes, Margaret Plympton and Richard Modecki. Mr. Kim joined as a partner in the Houston office and was most recently the head of the energy sector with Futurestep. Ms. Lavietes joined the New York office as a partner and head of the firm’s U.S. consumer & retail practice. She was previously a SVP at Berglass + Associates. Dr. Plympton came to the Boston office as a partner in its U.S. higher education practice. She previously served as deputy chair and acting chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Mr. Modecki joined the firm as a principal in the technology practice based in Washington, D.C. He was most recently at Russell Reynolds Associates.
Odgers Berndtson Opens Offices in Denver and Miami
Odgers Berndtson opened offices in Miami and Denver. “More than a 1,000 multinational corporations have their Latin American headquarters in Miami,” said Steve Potter, CEO of Odgers Berndtson U.S.
Odgers also opened a new office in Dublin. The move was made to enhance the firm’s capacity to support global companies looking to establish new centers of operation in Europe in readiness for Brexit, according to Odgers. The new location is led by Damian Ringwood, who becomes managing partner, Odgers Berndtson Dublin.
Lastly, Odgers added Susannah Crabtree as partner and head of its Ottawa office. She specializes in the recruitment of senior executives in the Ottawa market, with a focus on the public and not-for-profit sectors. She is also a key member of Odgers Berndtson’s leadership practice, helping clients assess and develop their leadership teams, succession plans and high-potential talent. Ms. Crabtree previously served as Ottawa office leader for Mercer Canada.
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