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Daily Newswire
Executive Search Continues Its Confident Climb As Transformation Takes Center Stage
The executive search industry entered 2026 from a position of strength. According to Hunt Scanlon, fee revenue at the 50 largest executive search firms in the U.S. / Americas – the global talent sector’s largest and most dominant region – jumped 11 percent last year, topping out at $6.69 billion. Seventy-five percent of search firms
Why Top Candidates Choose One Offer Over Another
Recruitment in the financial services industry, especially across wealth management, RIAs, and fintech roles, has become increasingly competitive, with strong candidates having multiple opportunities and greater choice in where they go, according to a recent report from Right Executive Search’s Elisa Sheftic. “It is especially disappointing when a top candidate withdraws from an opportunity during the
Executive Recruiters Pull Off Another Remarkable Year, Remain Bullish for 2023
Hunt Scanlon Media has released its annual rankings of leading executive recruiters. In the U.S. and globally, billions of dollars poured into the high-end recruiting sector in 2022, a result of continued pentup demand for senior-level leaders and their key reports.
The Talent Studios Recruits Chief Marketing Officer for Pura Vida Miami
The Talent Studios has recruited Bruno Cardinali as chief marketing officer of Pura Vida Miami, the premium all-day café and lifestyle brand focused on health, wellness and community. The search was led by Katlyn Maloney and Jeremy Cohen. Mr. Cardinali brings more than two decades of marketing leadership across fast casual, foodservice, beverage, and global consumer brands. Most recently, as
GDPR – The Perfect Time to Refresh Your Database
As executive search firms grapple with the complexities of GDPR, many are concerned that the new regulation will mean deleting thousands of records built up over many years. Surely there must be an alternative?
JM Search Expands Technology and Financial Services Practices
JM Search, a senior-level talent provider serving private equity investors, portfolio companies, and Fortune 1000s, has expanded with the additions of Wes Chisholm as partner and Laura Bennstrom and Charles Telep as principals within its technology and financial services practices. Mr. Chisholm and Mr. Telep join the firm’s technology practice while Ms. Bennstrom joins both the financial
How The Tolan Group Navigated the Downturn and Remained Focused
For many executive search firms, 2024 and 2025 tested resilience in ways few could have predicted. At The Tolan Group (TTG), they experienced the same pressures felt across the industry. Slower decision cycles, delayed starts, and a noticeable dip in portfolio company hiring activity. Yet through that uncertainty, one thing remained constant: our commitment to
Korn Ferry Reports Seven Percent Q4 and Full-Year Revenue Growth, Led by Double-Digit Gains in Professional Search & Interim
Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) has posted Q4 fiscal-year revenues of $759.8 million, a year-over-year increase of seven percent and five percent at constant currency. This was led by Professional Search & Interim up 14 percent, followed by Executive Search and Consulting, both up seven percent and RPO up five percent. During the fourth quarter, revenues rose by
Lock Search Group Leading CEO Search for Atlas Sign & Awning
Toronto-headquartered executive recruitment firm Lock Search Group is currently seeking a new CEO for Atlas Sign & Awning. For over 30 years, Atlas Sign & Awning has helped businesses across Canada and the United States stand out through custom commercial signage, awnings, and branded architectural elements. Based in Langley, BC, they’ve built a strong reputation for quality
Anthem Executive Assists the University of Montevallo With President Search
Anthem Executive has assisted in the recruitment of Michelle R. Johnston as the first female president of the University of Montevallo (UM). Michael Ballew, Scott Watson, Mike “JR” Wheless, and Florene Stawowy led the assignment. Dr. Johnston has served as the president of Georgia Southwestern State University since 2024. Prior to her current presidency, she served as president of three other higher education
Mercuri Urval Appoints Non-Executive Director
Stockholm, Sweden-based executive search firm Mercuri Urval (MU) has announced that Jan Sasse, partner at AlterInvest, was named as non-executive director to the MU group board. He will join the current board members Cecilia Strand, Mieke Weijenberg, Cecilia Beer, Richard Moore, and chairman Roger Hagafors. “We are pleased to welcome Jan Sasse as non-executive director of the MU
M&A Becomes a Capability-Driven Acquisition Strategy
EY-Parthenon is forecasting an eight percent increase in U.S. deal volume for transactions exceeding $100 million in 2026, underscoring how central M&A remains to corporate strategy. Yet beneath the headline numbers sits a more important story. The role of acquisitions is evolving. Companies are no longer pursuing deals primarily for scale or market share. Increasingly,
The Hidden Challenges Every First-Time CEO Faces
The corner office has never been more accessible—or more demanding. As boards increasingly turn to a new generation of leaders to navigate disruption, growth, and transformation, first-time CEOs are stepping into roles that require a fundamentally different set of skills than those that propelled them to the top. While many arrive with impressive track records,
Myers McRae Assists Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology with Provost Search
Following a nationwide search, Macon, GA-based Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting has assisted in the recruitment of Richie Roberts as provost of Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology. Kenny Daugherty and Brianna Douglas led the assignment. Dr. Roberts’ selection was guided by a search committee of OSUIT administrators, faculty, staff and students, which was assisted by national search firm Myers McRae. “The entire
Lancer Group Recruits Chief Technology Officer for Minitab
La Jolla, CA-headquartered search firm Lancer Group has recruited Kevin Gordon as chief technology officer of Minitab. “We’re excited to welcome Kevin Gordon as chief technology officer at Minitab,” the company said. “This is an exciting step forward in the evolution of our technology strategy and will help accelerate innovation across our organization and solutions platform.” “Kevin brings
Friisberg & Partners International Names Managing Partner of its Copenhagen Office
Fribourg, Switzerland-headquartered Friisberg & Partners International has expanded with the addition of Birgitte Olrik as managing partner of its Copenhagen office, strengthening the firm’s presence in the Nordic region and supporting the continued execution of our international growth strategy. “The future of executive search belongs to firms that combine exceptional local expertise with international reach,” said Zoltán Pethő,
Attracting the Right CHRO Starts with the Right Job Description
Hiring a head of HR is one of the most consequential leadership decisions an organization can make, yet many companies struggle to define the role in a way that reflects their actual needs. The most effective job descriptions go beyond qualifications and responsibilities, offering candidates a clear picture of the challenges, priorities, and business objectives
Coulter Partners Recruits Chief Medical Officer for Neumirna Therapeutics
Life sciences recruiting specialist Coulter Partners has placed Ferenc Tracik as chief medical officer of Neumirna Therapeutics. “Neumirna has reached an inflection point: the question is no longer whether the science works, but how quickly we can translate it into an option for patients with urgent unmet need. Ferenc has the experience to get us there,” said Ellen
McCormack + Kristel Seeking CEO for Central New York ON RAMP
McCormack + Kristel is currently seeking a CEO for Central New York ON RAMP. New York State Empire State Development (ESD) recently engaged CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CenterState CEO), an business leadership and economic development organization, to lead, incubate, and launch the Central New York One Network for Regional Advanced Manufacturing Projects (ON RAMP). The
Bespoke Partners Appoints Leader of People and HR Practice
San Diego, CA-headquartered Bespoke Partners recently named Dani Pfeiffer as a partner leading the people and human resources leader recruiting practice serving both software and industrials sector companies. She will lead dedicated recruiting teams on searches for talent executives for private equity portfolio companies for the software and SaaS clients served by Bespoke Partners and industrial clients served by Industra Talent Partners,
Wilson Forms New Alliance with Poetry to Advance AI capabilities
Global talent solutions provider Wilson has formed a new partnership with Poetry to strengthen its AI-enabled recruitment capabilities. The collaboration supports Wilson’s continued focus on embedding technology into its RPO delivery model through Wilson Workspace, its technology ecosystem. “We’re excited to announce our new partnership with Poetry,” said Charles Faigle, chief delivery officer at Wilson. This
What Executive Candidates Want From Employers Today
The executive talent market today has fundamentally shifted and senior leaders are evaluating employers through a far more demanding lens. They no longer weigh opportunities primarily on compensation or title; they assess the total leadership experience: governance, culture, organizational stability, purpose, autonomy, flexibility and long-term growth, according to a report from Kestria. “To attract and retain
WittKieffer Retained by Roosevelt University for President Search
Oak Brook, IL-based WittKieffer has been retained by Roosevelt University in Chicago to lead in its search for its seventh president. Ali Malekzadeh is retiring after being with the school since 2015. Senior partner Christine Pendleton, consultant Sandra Chu, senior associate Maya Holt-Brockenbrough, and senior advisor Ray Crossman. Roosevelt University seeks a student-centered president who is committed
Buffkin / Baker Acquires HR-Focused Benson Executive Search
Partner-led executive search firm Buffkin / Baker has acquired Boston, MA-based Benson Executive Search, a boutique firm focused on the human resources sector. Financial terms of deal were not disclosed. The acquisition strengthens Buffkin / Baker’s HR functional capabilities and gives the firm a stronger presence in the Northeast. “We’re thrilled to welcome Benson Executive Search to
SPMB Recruits Fills Senior Finance Position for Uber
Steven Popper of SPMB Executive Search has placed Wendy Drummond Craig as senior director, technical accounting, reporting, and M&A at Uber. In her new role, she will oversee teams responsible for technical accounting matters, SEC reporting, and accounting for mergers and acquisitions. “Wendy brings an extraordinary combination of technical accounting expertise, SEC reporting experience, and strategic advisory leadership
True Launches AI Capability Index for Executive Assessment
Global executive talent platform True has launched the True AI Capability Index, a proprietary framework that predicts executive performance in the AI-transformation age. “We are entering a phase where relationship depth and judgment matter more than ever,” said Brad Stadler, co-founder and CEO of True Platform. “The cost of finding names is decreasing. True’s advantage lies in our ability
AI-Native Talent Won’t Fix AI-Foreign Organizations
As artificial intelligence moves from experimentation to enterprise-wide adoption, organizations are grappling with a fundamental question: what does it actually mean to become AI-native? While the term has quickly entered the business lexicon, many leaders are still struggling to define the capabilities, operating models, and cultural shifts required to make that vision a reality. “Some
ZRG Partners Acquires Fortium
ZRG Partners has acquired Fortium, a Dallas-based search firm that provides fractional, interim, and project-based CIO, CTO, and CISO leadership. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Companies are making more nuanced decisions about leadership than they did even a few years ago, particularly in technology,” said Mark Viner, leader of interim solutions & project
Lochlin Partners Recruits SVP of HR for the National Association of Corporate Directors
Lochlin Partners has placed Marian Stevens as senior vice president, human resources of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) in Washington, D.C. “Marian’s deep experience in talent development, organizational effectiveness, and culture will help NACD to continue building the internal capabilities needed to support our growth and deliver on our mission,” said Peter Gleason, president and CEO of
JDG Associates Tapped by Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute to Find New Leader
Rockville, MD-based executive search firm JDG Associates has been retained by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) to lead its search for a new president and CEO. The Chicago-based institute, the leading technical institute and trade association for the precast, prestressed concrete industry in North America, seeks a visionary and collaborative executive to succeed its long-serving chief executive,
Korn Ferry’s Alan Guarino Releases New Book on Unlocking Personal Greatness
Unlock the qualities of success and reach your full potential using this new guide from leadership and career development expert Alan C. Guarino, vice chairman of Korn Ferry and the founder of Cornell International, Inc. “For each of us, the definition of success and the journey to achieve it is different,” Mr. Guarino said. “Yet,
Royal Family Taps Search Firm to Find CEO
Kensington Palace has engaged Odgers Berndtson to find a CEO to lead the household reporting directly to the Prince and Princess of Wales. It has released a job description which stresses the unique nature of the role. Prince William and Catherine are said by sources to have led this decision to hire a search firm
Comhar Partners Seeks CFO for DHR Health
Executive search firm Comhar Partners has been enlisted to find a chief financial officer for DHR Health, a physician-owned health system in Edinburg, TX. Leading the assignment are managing director Marion Spears Karr and director Morgan Layton. “Reporting to the president, the chief financial officer will examine how to enhance growth, profitability, and value creation
Peña Search Seeks New Leader for Human Rights Initiative of North Texas
Peña Search has been retained by the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas (HRI) to head its search for a new executive director. Bill Holston is stepping down from his role after 11 years at the helm. Travis Hillier and Cindy Maloney are leading the assignment. HRI is seeking a dynamic successor to compassionately lead a committed team
Heyman Associates Appoints New CEO
New York City-based executive search firm Heyman Associates has appointed Jessamyn Katz as its new chief executive officer. Founder and CEO Bill Heyman, who established the firm in 1989, will be retiring at the end of the year. Ms. Katz has served as president since 2019. Mr. Heyman will remain as an advisor to the
Building A PE-Value Creation Team for the Future
A growing number of private equity firms are adding value creation teams to their organization. But many are finding that designing the structure of these teams has its difficulties, says JM Search’s Andrew Henry in a new report. “With many variations present in the market, building a strategy that fits the fund size and investment
ON Partners Recruits Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for Searchspring
Daniel Bolger and Jake Espenlaub of ON Partners have helped to recruit Rebecca Grimes as chief sales and marketing officer of Searchspring in San Antonio, TX. “We are thrilled to welcome Rebecca to our leadership team,” said Alex Kombos, CEO of Searchspring. “She is an experienced revenue leader with a strong track record of driving revenue growth and
Paving the Way to Rehire a High Performing Employee
So, your high performer just resigned. You’re feeling frustrated and let down. That doesn’t make you a bad leader. It makes you human. In fact, if you’re taking it personally, it’s most likely because you exerted significant effort into mentoring and helping this employee grow. “While these feelings are perfectly natural, how you react to
Artico Search Recruits VP of Enterprise Sales for CharterUP
Mercedes Chatfield-Taylor, Sarah Scheer, and Todd Daniel of Artico Search recently assisted in the recruitment of David House as vice president of enterprise sales of CharterUP. “A special thanks to Armir Harris, CEO, and Howard Bornstein, president, for their remarkable partnership,” Artico Search said. “We look forward to the next chapter of growth with David and the rest of
The Taplow Group Adds McDonald Search Group in Canada
Global recruiting consortium The Taplow Group has expanded in Canada with the addition of the MacDonald Search Group as its newest member firm. Led by Bruce MacDonald, founder and managing partner, their Canadian operation spans from the east to west coast with a presence in seven cities including Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Moncton, Ottawa, and Toronto. “We were
Global Hiring Outlook and How Hiring Continues to Rely More On AI
Employers anticipate closing out 2023 with a calculated approach to hiring, according to the latest ManpowerGroup Employment Outlook Survey of nearly 39,000 employers in 41 countries. The net employment outlook for Q4 is +30 percent, up one percent from Q4 2022, and a two percent increase from last quarter. “The data for Q4 reveals employers
The Loring Group Recruits CIO for Diamonds International
San Francisco-headquartered executive search firm The Loring Group recently placed Duke del Prado as the new chief information officer for Diamonds International. The search was led by senior partner Rich Kampmann. Mr. del Prado joins Diamonds with over 25 years of information technology leadership experience working in a variety of industries including consumer goods, retail, manufacturing, professional
Slone Partners Finds Chief Medical Officer for X4 Pharmaceuticals
Life sciences-focused search firm Slone Partners has placed Christophe Arbet-Engels as chief medical officer at X4 Pharmaceuticals Inc., a public biopharmaceutical company. The enterprise is developing novel small molecule therapeutics to benefit patients with diseases of the immune system. Dr. Arbet-Engels previously served as CMO at several life science companies, including Neurogastrx, Millendo Therapeutics, and Poxel Pharmaceuticals,
BarkerGilmore Expands Team
Boutique search firm BarkerGilmore, which specializes in building corporate legal and compliance teams, has expanded with the addition of Laura J. Schumacher as a senior advisor. In this position, Ms. Schumacher will provide guidance and professional development to general counsels and other executives. She brings expertise in the healthcare industry to the firm’s healthcare and life
Beecher Reagan Appoints Co-Leader Advisory/Middle-Market and Investor-Backed CFO practices
Houston, TX-headquartered executive search firm Beecher Reagan has strengthened its search staff with the appointment of Brad Pierce as managing director and co-leader the advisory and middle-market practices, as well as the investor-backed CFO practice. “As Beecher Reagan targets strategic growth in middle-market consulting and doubles-down on our commitment to serve private equity clients, we look for
A Look at Leveraging Success for AI Recruiting
Great talent has always been integral to developing cutting-edge artificial intelligence solutions. Since its founding, True Search has done work with AI-enabled companies and platforms, accounting for 12 percent of True’s placements over the past five years. While this work has remained constant, it’s clear something about AI hiring has changed: There has been an exponential
The Christopher Group Looks to Acquire Six Summit Leadership
The Christopher Group (TCG), a boutique HR executive search and business solutions recruiting firm, has completed a letter of intent to acquire Six Summit Leadership, an executive coaching and leadership development firm. The transaction is expected to officially close on Sept. 29. “We are extremely excited to continue to innovate and add value for our
ZRG Recruits CEO for Quarterhill
ZRG Partners, a leading search firm backed by private equity firm RFE Investment Partners, recently assisted in the recruitment of Chuck Myers as the new CEO of Quarterhill, a Toronto-based provider of tolling and enforcement solutions in the intelligent transportation system (ITS). Kevin S. Anderson and Lisa Hooker led the assignment. “Our team continues to expand our expertise and experience at
DRiWaterstone Human Capital Seeks Executive Director/ General Manager for Michigan Radio
Arlington, VA-based DRiWaterstone Human Capital has been selected to find the next executive director and general manager of Michigan Radio, the public broadcasting service of the University of Michigan, in Ann Arbor. “The executive director and general manager will be a visionary for the future of the station, working with a talented team of individuals in
N2Growth Expands to Turkey
N2Growth, a Philadelphia-based management consulting and executive search firm, has opened a new office in Turkey, cementing the firm’s footprint in EMEA and underscoring its ongoing commitment to global reach and diversity. Sevda Ozsonmez has been named as managing partner of the new location, representing N2Growth in Turkey. She will report to CEO Kelli Vukelic. “Sevda’s vast experience in
How to Develop Effective Leadership Succession Planning
Poor succession planning processes stemming from a lack of leadership development and assessment can be extremely costly. Harvard Business Review, in fact, has found that this problem costs an estimated $1 trillion across the S&P 1500 annually. When employees feel engaged, valued, and supported through development opportunities, they are more likely to stay with a company
Helping Gen Z Upskill in the Digital Era
Born between the mid-1990s and the early 2010s, Gen Z individuals are often portrayed as tech-savvy digital natives who effortlessly navigate the intricacies of technology. There is a growing understanding, however, that this assumption is far from accurate, as many Gen Z workers face challenges when it comes to applying their technological skills effectively in
ECA Partners Recruits CEO for Transifex
Santa Monica, CA-based search ECA Partners has assisted in the recruitment of Chris Menier as the new chief executive officer of Transifex, a translation management system based in Washington, D.C. “ECA ran an organized and thorough process for our CEO search,” said Dennis Dresser, operating partner at JMI Equity, backers of Transifex. “Their highly professional
Work&Partners Seeks Chief Product Officer for Toppan Merrill
New York-based Work&Partners has been selected by Toppan Merrill to lead in its search for a chief product officer. Founder and president Alan Work is leading the assignment. The chief product officer will join the company’s executive leadership team and will report to the president. The executive in this role will be expected to reimagine the
Acacium Group Acquires Sumo Medical Staffing
Acacium Group, a London-based healthcare and clinical/scientific recruiting provider, announced that it has acquired Sumo Medical Staffing, a specialist recruiting firm based in Draper, UT. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “Sumo Medical Staffing is an outstanding healthcare business that expands our staffing and workforce management offering to our clients in the U.S.,”
3 Lessons in Executive Leadership
Every executive team must assess what is needed to meet the challenges of growth, scale, and investor expectations. This is particularly true when selecting an executive leadership team, according to a new report from ZRG Partners’ Summer Anderson. In her study, Ms. Anderson revisited how over two and a half years, ZRG partnered with Marathon Digital
ON Partners Recruits CFO for Axcelis Technologies
Executive search firm ON Partners recently helped to place James Coogan as the new CFO of NASDAQ-traded Axcelis Technologies Inc., a supplier of enabling ion implantation solutions for the semiconductor industry. Mr. Coogan will join the company in October. Partner Lenny Vairo spearheaded the assignment for the search firm. “After an extensive search, we are delighted to announce
Greenwood Asher & Associates Places President and CEO for University of the District of Columbia
After an extensive, seven month search, Miramar Beach, FL-based executive recruitment firm Greenwood Asher & Associates has placed Maurice D. Edington as the new president and CEO of the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). Marion Frenche, associate vice president of executive search and practice leader for diversity, equity, and inclusion, led the assignment
Frederickson Partners Recruits HR Leader for Kyverna Therapeutics
Global HR search firm Frederickson Partners recently assisted in the recruitment of Portia Serame as vice president of human resources at Kyverna Therapeutics, a clinical-stage cell therapy company with the mission of engineering a new class of therapies for autoimmune diseases. Ms. Serame joins Kyverna Therapeutics from ReCor Medical, where she served as senior director of HR. In
Corsica Partners Acquires Alora Search Partners
Corsica Partners has acquired Alora Search Partners and appointed its founding partner, Mary Langan as managing director and cybersecurity practice lead. “Alora Search Partners has developed a respected reputation serving public, VC and PE backed software, robotics, and cybersecurity firms,” said Dan Veitkus, managing partner and CEO of Corsica Partners. “Under Mary’s leadership, Alora has
Korn Ferry Posts Flat Q1 Revenues
Korn Ferry (NYSE:KFY) has posted 2024 fiscal first quarter revenues of $699.2 million, essentially flat from the same period a year ago. Fee revenue remained constant primarily due to an increase in the interim portion of Professional Search & Interim, resulting from the acquisitions of Infinity Consulting Solutions which was effective Aug. 1, 2022 and Salo which
The Tolan Group Fills CFO Role for Memorial MRI & Diagnostic Imaging Centers
The Tolan Group (TTG) recently assisted in the placement of Fred Huang as the new chief financial officer of Memorial MRI & Diagnostic Imaging Centers (MMRI). The company is based in Houston, TX and backed by Panos, a private equity sponsor focused on making investments in middle-market healthcare and business services companies. Jennifer Chee, principal,
