ON Partners Expands Search Staff
June 9, 2025 – ON Partners recently expanded with the addition of Cher Murphy as its newest partner. “From executive search consultant to chief people officer to entrepreneur and back again, we are the lucky recipients of Cher’s return to her roots in a field that she has been pioneering for more than 15 years,” said Bryan Buck, managing partner at ON Partners. “She is a powerhouse in the future of talent and has been a trusted advisor to CEOs and chief people officers for many years. In addition, Cher brings a broad influential network and energy for helping companies build and develop strong leadership to our team.”
Ms. Murphy is a successful founder, executive, and expert in talent management, leadership development, and organizational transformation. She comes to ON Partners after founding her own consultancy, The Murphy Advisory. Ms. Murphy has advised leaders on building organizational capability and coached executives on leading effective global teams for clients, including Amazon, Quanta Services, Yamamotoyama, and Activant Capital. Her career includes serving clients across VC / founder-led organizations, PE portfolio companies, and Fortune 50 / FTSE 100 organizations.
As a talent advisor to C-Suite leaders, Ms. Murphy was invited to join Marshall Goldsmith’s prestigious 100 Coaches, an exclusive group of the world’s foremost executive coaches, consultants, and visionary thought leaders. Additionally, she is adjunct professor at Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School and guest faculty at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business for Executive Education, teaching talent strategy and organizational theory.
Additionally, Ms. Murphy is an advisor for Transform, the people-driven thought leadership ecosystem, an advisor for Sempervirens Venture Capital, and an advisor for Ask Approach, advancing inquiry-driven leadership. Philanthropically, Ms. Murphy is an advisory board member for the mentor project and a member of the board of directors for AID International, a non-profit organization that partners with Haitian communities to become self-sustainable amidst the current political unrest.
Executive Search: Challenges, Trends, and Hopes for a Hiring Resurgence in 2025
For many search firms in almost all industry segments, 2024 has been a tough year. There are many reasons for the recent downturn, and some firms have experienced a dip in revenues for even longer, according to Tim Tolan, founder, chairman, and managing partner of The Tolan Group. “Lots of changes are on the horizon for 2025 on the hiring front, and search firms are waiting with bated breath while hiring decisions are on hold, and draft fee agreements are (still) sitting in DocuSign waiting to be signed,” he said. “Decisions are dragging, as are active search engagements, as hiring managers and leaders struggle to make hiring decisions in the environment, we are all trying to navigate.”
In the Hunt Scanlon 2024 Executive Recruiting State of the Industry Report, the numbers reflected a double-digit downturn in demand for executive recruiting, with the private equity sector being the most affected. “We’ve seen and experienced that firsthand, but we feel positive changes are on the horizon,” Mr. Tolan said.
“I grew up in executive search and was energized by the blend of human behavioral science, strategy, and financial analysis required to place a leader who can truly transform a company’s future,” said Ms. Murphy. “Since then, I’ve served as a chief people officer, chief talent officer, founded a firm advising executive teams and boards, and dedicated time to giving back. Each chapter has shaped how I think about leadership, culture, and long-term impact. I return to executive search with a unique perspective and deep clarity about what transformative leadership truly requires. I chose ON Partners because they are like-minded in leading with a human-first approach, and I can’t wait to get started.”
With a primary focus on technology, consumer, industrial, and the life science sectors, ON Partners recruits C-level and board talent for public and private companies, as well as venture capital and private equity firms. Founded in 2006, the firm’s consultants work from offices in Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Cleveland; Dallas; Menlo Park, CA; Minneapolis. MN; San Francisco; and New York. ON Partners was named one of the fastest growing search firms this year by Hunt Scanlon Media. The firm is now ranked as one of the 20 largest search firms in the nation.
Related: ON Partners Recruits CEO for nView Health
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
