Odgers Strengthens Global Financial Services Practice
November 9, 2026 – Odgers has announced two strategic leadership appointments that further strengthen its global financial services practice. Charles F. Preusse, managing partner and chair of U.S. financial services, has been named executive director on the board of Odgers USA, while Kevin C. McKeon, managing partner and head of U.S. financial services, has been named co-head of the global financial services practice. The appointments reinforce Odgers’ ability to bring together deep sector expertise, senior advisory experience, and insights from major financial markets around the world. For clients, this means broader access to leadership talent, market intelligence, and specialized expertise, particularly as business and leadership challenges become increasingly international, the firm explained.
“Both appointments reflect our continued focus on bringing the best of Odgers to our clients,” said Kennon Kincaid, CEO, Odgers USA. “Financial services sits at the center of the global economy, influencing investment, growth and transformation across virtually every industry. As financial markets become increasingly interconnected, our clients need advisors who can bring together insight, talent and perspective from the world’s major financial centers. Kevin’s appointment strengthens that global connectivity, while Charles’ role on the board of Odgers USA ensures the client and market perspective remains central to how we grow and serve organizations across sectors.”
Mr. Preusse joined Odgers in early 2026 following the firm’s acquisition of Ridgeway Partners, where he served as managing partner. Over more than three decades, he has advised senior executives at large multinational organizations and emerging growth companies on complex leadership challenges, with particular expertise in financial services, fintech, and private equity. His work includes senior executive and Board search, as well as CEO and executive succession.
“The organizations that will outperform over the next decade are those that treat leadership as a strategic advantage, not simply a talent issue,” said Mr. Preusse. “As Odgers continues to grow, my focus will be on ensuring we remain deeply connected to our clients’ priorities and continue investing in the expertise and capabilities that help them navigate increasingly complex business challenges.”
Connecting Financial Services Expertise Across Global Markets
Mr. McKeon’s appointment as co-head of the global financial services practice further strengthens Odgers’ ability to support financial institutions with leadership needs that increasingly cross geographic and sector boundaries.
With nearly 30 years of experience, Mr. McKeon advises clients across investment management, wealth management, alternatives, and fintech. He has led senior-level searches for CEOs, CIOs, CDOs, and other executives and brings direct industry experience from his six years as chief of staff for Fidelity Institutional Asset Management, where his responsibilities included talent, strategic planning, and compensation.
In his expanded role, Mr. McKeon will help connect Odgers’ financial services teams across key markets, creating greater access to international talent, local market insight, and specialized expertise for clients operating across borders.
“Financial services organizations are navigating many of the same forces around the world, from technological disruption and changing capital flows to evolving expectations of leadership, but every market brings its own dynamics,” said Mr. McKeon. “I’m looking forward to working alongside Anne Murphy as co-head of the global financial services practice to deepen collaboration across our global Financial Services Practice. By connecting our relationships, expertise, and market intelligence more effectively across regions, we can provide clients with broader leadership insight, access to exceptional talent, and seamless support wherever their businesses operate.”
Related: Odgers Makes Leadership Changes in India
Odgers delivers 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.
Ridgeway Partners Acquisition
Earlier this year, Odgers acquired Ridgeway Partners LLC, a New York City-based executive search firm focused on financial services and board advisory. “We’re thrilled to welcome Ridgeway Partners’ talented team to the firm,” said Mr. Kincaid, CEO. They’ve earned an outstanding reputation for expert advice and a passionate commitment to client service—an approach shared by Odgers. Uniting our teams is a natural fit that will enhance the knowledge, reach, and impact we provide to clients. Together, we are building an executive search and leadership advisory platform aligned with how capital-driven decisions are made today—and how they impact every sector our clients operate in.”
The acquisition strengthens Odgers’ ability to advise leaders and boards where capital allocation, governance, and strategy intersect, recruiting and supporting decision-makers who shape outcomes across industries. This union further strengthens Odgers’ global financial services and board advisory practices, combining a strong U.S. presence with a global platform and reach to recruit and develop exceptional leaders across 33 countries, including major financial hubs such as New York, London, Singapore, Chicago, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, Toronto, Hong Kong, and Sydney.
Ridgeway Partners was established in 2004 as an informal affiliation of two separate businesses in the U.S. and U.K. This transaction only applies to U.S.-based Ridgeway Partners LLC.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
