ON Partners Expands Search Staff

September 16, 2024 – ON Partners named Chris Clements and Ashley Day as partners. Based in San Francisco, Mr. Clements is an experienced search executive with expertise in energy transition, climate tech, industrials, and software sectors. “Chris’ passion and expertise make him an invaluable asset to our team,” said Bryan Buck, partner. “His experience enhances our focus on technology and energy transition while further strengthening our presence in the Bay Area. More importantly, it enables us to deliver an innovative search experience for our clients as they work towards building a better, more sustainable world.”
Over his decade-long career, Mr. Clements has led high-level executive searches in cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, robotics, energy, automotive and mobility, aerospace technology, smart cities, buildings, and the Internet of Things. He has served both large public and private companies, as well as growth-stage firms. Mr. Clements was previously a partner at True and Hobbs & Towne, where he played a pivotal role in expanding their West Coast presence.
Earlier this year, ON Partners released its Variance Report, highlighting key executive hiring trends set to shape 2024. The report underscored the significant impact of company growth and government investment on the energy and cleantech sectors, leading to a 111 percent increase in ON Partners’ executive hiring within the space over the past three years. The energy, renewables, and cleantech sectors have experienced a transformative shift, with evolving talent strategies driving industry progress. According to the 2023 U.S. Energy Report, energy sector jobs grew by 3.8 percent from 2021 to 2022, while clean energy jobs increased by 3.9 percent, outpacing the overall U.S. employment growth of 3.1 percent.
“Energy transition technologies are leading the charge in transforming traditional systems and driving a paradigm shift focused on decarbonization,” said Mr. Clements. “It’s essential to highlight this sector alongside industrials and climate tech. My broad experience across various tech verticals has allowed me to understand the holistic scope of the industry. I look forward to joining ON Partners, renowned for its forward-thinking executive search strategies, and contributing to its continued expansion in these dynamic fields.”
Related: ON Partners Recruits Chief Product Officer for Glassdoor
Ms. Day is a seasoned private equity talent leader, as its newest partner. She has extensive private equity experience, having held human capital leadership roles at FFL Partners and CI Capital Partners. At FFL Partners, Ms. Day led human capital strategy, focusing on executive talent acquisition, talent management, and leadership development. Before that, she served as chief talent officer at CI Capital Partners in a similar functional role. Ms. Day holds a Ph.D. in psychology, which she applied to leadership assessments and succession planning in her previous role at Russell Reynolds Associates. Her expertise in healthcare and tech-enabled services, with a specialized focus on C-level and operating partner roles, will significantly enhance ON Partners’ ability to deliver tailored leadership solutions to private equity firms and their portfolio companies, the firm noted.
Client-Side Experience
“Ashley’s client-side experience adds immense value to our private equity practice,” said Mr. Buck. “Her industry relationships and expertise in talent management enhance our ability to deliver top-tier leadership solutions that drive portfolio success. She also understands what candidates value, which is a critical component when assessing mutual fit. We’re thrilled to have Ashley on board as we prepare to release our 2024 Private Equity Talent Trends Report. Her expertise will strengthen our ability to meet the evolving needs of private equity firms.”
“One of the best ways to impact value creation in private equity is by getting the right people in the right seats,” said Ms. Day. “Throughout my career, I’ve seen how the right leader can transform a business. Joining ON Partners allows me to broaden my impact by connecting PE firms with the leadership they need to achieve investment results. I was drawn to ON Partners specifically because of their exceptional reputation in private equity. Their agile size and approach allow for close client relationships and tailored solutions that truly make a difference. It’s the ideal platform to leverage my experience and continue driving success for PE firms and their portfolio companies.”
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