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Daily Newswire
The AI-Ready Chief People Officer
As artificial intelligence accelerates across the enterprise, the people function is emerging as one of its most critical proving grounds. Nowhere is the balance between innovation and responsibility more visible than in the evolving role of the chief people officer. AI is reshaping how organizations operate, how leaders make decisions, and how people experience work.
Odgers Acquires Ridgeway Partners
Odgers has acquired Ridgeway Partners LLC, a New York City-based executive search firm focused on financial services and board advisory. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “We’re thrilled to welcome Ridgeway Partners’ talented team to the firm,” said Kennon Kincaid, CEO, Odgers US. They’ve earned an outstanding reputation for expert advice and a passionate
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.
Mercuri Urval Expands International Public and ESG Expert Practice
Stockholm, Sweden-based executive search firm Mercuri Urval (MU) has expanded with the addition of former Danish government minister Astrid Krag to its international public and ESG expert practice. “With Astrid’s extensive experience in international public affairs, strong commitment to ESG and sustainability, and deep understanding of life sciences, she brings a valuable combination of expertise and
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?
ZRG Partners Acquires N2Growth’s Spain Business
ZRG Partners has entered the Spanish market through the acquisition of the business formerly known as Blacksmith that had been doing business since 2023 under the umbrella of N2Growth. Through this integration, ZRG enters the Spanish market with an established local team and the goal of offering Spanish and international clients agile, high-touch advisory backed by
Family Offices Move Into Human Capital M&A
Altss’ latest ranking, The 50 Largest Family Offices in the World (2026), illustrates the scale family capital has reached. The 50 largest offices collectively manage an estimated $2.4 trillion, with the top 10 controlling more than $1.5 trillion. Twenty-eight of the top 50 are headquartered in North America, while private equity represents their largest average portfolio allocation
The Leadership Pipeline Crisis: AI’s Hidden Cost
Companies everywhere are celebrating leaner teams, faster execution, and higher productivity thanks to AI, according to HIRECLOUT. From a business perspective, the logic is easy to understand, according to Avetis Antaplyan, founder and CEO of HIRECLOUT. “Investors reward efficiency,” Mr. Antaplyan said. “Leaders are under pressure to do more with less. Automation is eliminating repetitive
Klein Hersh Recruits CFO for Sparrow Pharmaceuticals
Klein Hersh, a search firm focused on the life sciences and healthcare industries, has recruited George Eldridge as the new CFO of Sparrow Pharmaceuticals, a targeted cardiometabolic therapeutics company. “We are thrilled to welcome George to Sparrow at such an important time for our company,” said Robert Jacks, president and CEO of Sparrow Pharmaceuticals. “George
McCormack + Kristel Seeking Executive Director for NEXT Harm Reduction
McCormack + Kristel has been retained by NEXT Harm Reduction (NEXT Distro) to lead in its search for an executive director. This is a rare opportunity for a visionary leader and skilled fundraiser to take a nationally recognized organization with an urgent mandate and grow it to the scale the moment demands. Reporting to the board
Riviera Partners Expands Public Practice
San Francisco-based Riviera Partners, a recruitment provider specializing in C-level engineering, product, and design leader placements, has expanded with the addition of Archer McFall as a partner within its public practice serving large, publicly-traded companies and late-stage, pre-IPO companies. “Getting the right CTO, CIO, or chief AI officer in place, building the team structure around AI, making sure the
HelloSky Brings Its Graph of People, Investors, and Companies Into Claude and ChatGPT
Executive search firms are increasingly looking for ways to move beyond traditional databases and static candidate profiles as clients demand deeper market intelligence and faster, more precise insight into leadership talent. Advances in artificial intelligence are giving recruiters new tools to connect people, companies, investors, relationships, and career outcomes in ways that can strengthen candidate
Harris Search Associates Leading Senior Assignment for Carnegie Mellon University
Harris Search Associates has been retained by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to lead in its search for newly created role of associate vice president for research computing and data (AVP RCD). Jeffrey Harris and Ed Christ are leading the assignment. This role offers a unique opportunity to elevate and transform CMU’s research computing ecosystem positioning it to better support
Preng & Associates Assists SOGC, LLC with President Search
Following a comprehensive executive search, Houston-based Preng & Associates assisted in the recruitment of David French as the new president of SOGC, LLC. “Preng & Associates is proud to have supported this important leadership appointment and continues to partner with energy companies worldwide in identifying and securing transformative executive talent,” the firm said. Mr. French brings
NPAG Appoints Senior Advisor
Executive search firm NPAG has appointed André Blackman as senior advisor. In this new role, he will build and lead a practice focused on mission-driven innovation — connecting dynamic leadership talent and the development resources to keep that talent in seat, to founders and organizations solving problems that matter. “André brings a rare combination of strategic insight, storytelling
Sheffield Haworth Adds Private Equity & Growth Venture Portfolio Assets Veteran
Global leadership advisory and executive search firm Sheffield Haworth has expanded with the addition of Michael McDonnell as managing director, private equity and growth venture portfolio assets. He is based in the New York office and works within the technology sector practice. “We are thrilled to welcome Michael to the team,” said Paul Gillespie, managing director of the
Leadership Needs Shift in a Changing Federal Market
Executive search across the federal contracting, government services, defense, and technology sectors is entering a new phase as companies look for more sophisticated ways to evaluate leadership beyond résumés, references, and past performance. In markets where specialized experience, relationships, and an understanding of complex government customers can be critical, the challenge is not simply identifying
Private Equity Rollup Wave Reshapes Executive Search
What may once have looked like a series of isolated transactions is increasingly taking on the shape of a broader industry shift. As capital moves into the sector and firms rethink where they have true competitive strength, the pattern is becoming harder to ignore. “A year ago, I would have called this a prediction, today,
HARTZ Search Seeking Chief Revenue Officer for Geisinger
Charlotte, NC-based HARTZ Search was recently retained by Geisinger to lead in its search for a chief revenue officer. This executive will direct, manage, and implement programs to ensure efficient revenue management operations and sufficient cash flow to support Geisinger operations and strategic initiatives. The role is responsible for identifying, analyzing, reducing, and resolving revenue management issues
Kincannon & Reed Places Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association
Kincannon & Reed (K&R), which exclusively focuses on food, agribusiness, and the related life sciences, has assisted in the recruitment of Patrick Carney as the new executive director of the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association. Dave Smith stepped down from his executive role after leading the association for more than 30 years. “Patrick pairs dairy industry knowledge with
Noto Group Expands Global Consumer Practice
Portland, OR-headquartered executive search firm Noto Group has expanded with the additions of Kirsty Schofield and Cody Johns as senior partners in its global consumer practice. “Cody and Kirsty bring highly complementary experience, deep consumer sector expertise, and a genuine connection to how we work,” said Sara Spirko, managing partner of Noto Group. “Both understand that finding
millionways Brings a New Behavioral Intelligence Lever to Executive Recruiters
Hunt Scanlon Ventures this week completed its investment in millionways, a New York-headquartered company that builds a behavioral intelligence layer of AI for human agent workforces, utilizing a proprietary Large Psychology Model called Thorsten-4. The platform focuses on understanding human signals, motives, and behavior patterns, with applications used across AI governance, executive hiring, talent management,
AI Governance Jobs Platform Builds Early Momentum Through Privacy-First Model
AI-Governance-Jobs.com, operated by GRC Careers LLC and led by founder and CEO F. Jay Hall, has built its model combining specialized career content, organic search visibility, and privacy-focused architecture. The company’s latest executive summary reports 134,499 organic impressions over a recent 28-day period, achieved roughly three months after launch — without advertising. As demand grows
Blue Rock Human Capital Assists Linfield University with the Recruitment of Dean of the School of Business
Blue Rock Human Capital has helped to recruit Isaac Wanasika as the new dean of the School of Business at Linfield University. “Blue Rock Human Capital was pleased to work with Linfield University to identify their new dean of the School of Business,” said Jacquelyn Elliot, president and COO of Blue Rock Human Capital. “Today’s higher
CIO Partners Leading Cybersecurity Search for Flexsteel Industries
CIO Partners was recently retained by Flexsteel Industries in Dubuque, IA, to lead in its search for director of cybersecurity. This role partners closely with IT, executive leadership, legal, compliance, operations, and external security partners to reduce cyber risk, strengthen business resilience, and ensure the organization is prepared to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover
Pacific International Launches Leadership Coaching and Onboarding Service
London-headquartered executive search firm Pacific International Executive Search has launched its new leadership coaching & onboarding service. This will support senior leaders through the highest-stakes moments of their careers. “The first months in a new leadership role, a step-change in scope, the pressures of C-suite leadership – these are just a few examples where an experienced coach can turn potential into value faster
Leveraging AI to Drive Business Development in Executive Search
AI is beginning to reshape how executive search firms approach business development, moving the process beyond traditional account lists and periodic outreach toward more continuous market intelligence. By helping recruiters identify meaningful changes across companies, leadership teams, and professional networks, AI is creating new opportunities to engage clients with greater relevance and better timing. The
Korn Ferry Retained by Convergence for CEO Search
Korn Ferry has been retained by Convergence to lead in its search for a new CEO. Joan Larrea will retire as CEO in early 2027 after more than a decade of leadership. Since inception, Ms. Larrea has led the organization through a decade of significant growth, helping establish Convergence as the world’s leading authority on
St. Olaf College Taps Brettschneider Executive Search for Chief Information Officer Search
New York City-based Brettschneider Executive Search has been selected by St. Olaf College to lead in its search for chief information officer. St. Olaf seeks a values-forward, innovative CIO. The next CIO of St. Olaf College will serve as a trusted advisor to the provost, president, and president’s leadership team on the role of information and library resources
Boyden Seeking CEO for Creative BC
Boyden has been retained by Creative BC in Vancouver, British Columbia to lead in its search for a new CEO. Reporting to the board of directors, the CEO will provide strategic and operational leadership to an organization that sits at the center of British Columbia’s creative economy. The CEO will lead the execution of Creative BC’s mandate
Advancing Women in Leadership: How Far Have We Come?
If research highlights the benefits of diverse leadership perspectives in fostering innovation, growth, and financial success, why do women remain underrepresented in senior business leadership roles globally? What barriers do women face in getting to the top, and what propels the careers of women who do? When Spencer Stuart explored these questions five years ago
Handler & Associates Launches Technology Practice
[Executive search firm Handler & Associates has added global IT executive Lee Panosian to its staff as a partner to launch and lead its technology practice. Mr. Panosian’s career encompasses 33 years of executive leadership at multinational technology companies, including expertise in global sales management, IT strategy, go-to-market initiatives, change management and enterprise information management. Most recently, Mr. Panosian
Witt/Kieffer Expands Sports Leadership Practice
[Executive search firm Witt/Kieffer has named Katy Young as a senior associate in its expanding sports leadership practice. Based in Dallas, she will focus on the firm’s recruitment of university and college coaches. Experienced in both collegiate and professional sports recruiting, Ms. Young has supported over 40 searches for Division I head coaches and athletic directors. She has worked with
Diversified Search Leading CEO Search for Girl Scouts of America
[Executive search firm Diversified Search has been retained by the Girl Scouts of America to lead its search for a new chief executive officer. The firm’s founder and chairman, Judith M. von Seldeneck, is leading the assignment. Anna Maria Chávez, who has served as CEO of the organization since 2011, notified the national board of directors of her
Odgers Berndtson Expands Technology Practice
[Executive search firm Odgers Berndtson has expanded its technology practice in the U.S. with the addition of two new executive search specialists, Kathryn Ullrich and Rod Keller. “A new breed of corporate leader is emerging as disruptive technologies transform industries literally overnight,” said Odgers U.S. managing partner Steve Potter. The firm recently conducted a survey of global executives
McCormack + Kristel Retained by the Secular Student Alliance to Find New Leader
[Executive search firm McCormack + Kristel has been chosen by the Secular Student Alliance (SSA) to lead its search for a new executive director. Managing partner Joseph McCormack and partner Michelle Kristel are leading the assignment. The Position The executive director will provide visionary leadership empowering secular students, including ensuring that its student group programming, organizational culture, community engagement,
DirectEmployers Association Taps New Leader
[DirectEmployers Association has tapped Michael Goldberg to serve as its new executive director. For the last 16 years, Bill Warren has served as its leader. “I want to emphasize that I will forever be grateful to this organization for having granted me one of the greatest opportunities of my life, to be a part of the accomplishments and
Johnson Names Practice Head
[Sydney-based executive search firm Johnson has appointed Gregory Dohnt as partner and leader of its industrial & infrastructure and chief financial officer practices. Mr. Dohnt brings over two decades of experience with listed executive search firms, both in Australia and internationally. He has expertise in capital intensive sectors such as utilities, property, manufacturing and infrastructure. He has
Why Korn Ferry’s CEO Thinks We All Need to Adapt to Change
In a Harvard Business Review article, Korn Ferry’s chief executive Gary D. Burnison once compared a search firm to a hospital emergency room, writing that people only go to the ER – and an executive recruitment firm – in an emergency. “In medicine, big businesses are built around wellness and prevention,” he wrote. “I wanted
Caldwell Partners Posts Solid Revenue Gain for 2016
[Executive search firm Caldwell Partners International posted full year revenues of $58.7 million (Canadian), an eight percent increase from a year ago. Impacting its results: a near 16 percent uptick in its U.S. business and a 25 percent decline in its home territory due to weaknesses in the Canadian financial and oil & gas sectors. “A strong
Gatti & Associates Launches Healthcare Practice
[Executive search firm Gatti & Associates, a GattiHR company, has launched a new healthcare recruiting practice. Senior vice president Richard Fleming has been appointed practice leader. Mr. Fleming brings 25 years of HR search and leadership experience to the role. In addition to leading the firm’s healthcare practice, he will continue servicing clients within life sciences,
Korn Ferry Recruits CAO for Sports Association
[Korn Ferry has placed Alejandro Lesende as chief financial and administration officer of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF). CONCACAF brought in Korn Ferry to advise on key qualifications for the position and manage a public search before presenting a list of candidates to the Confederation’s senior management. Mr. Lesende brings over 20 years
KPMG Leading CIO Search for University of Adelaide
[KPMG Executive Search & Selection has been retained by the University of Adelaide to lead its search for a chief information officer. Associate director Kelly Kuras is leading the search. The incoming CIO, according to the organization, will take the university to the next level of excellence in its IT environment and service provision. The executive sought
Partners in Leadership Launches Culture Search
[Global consulting firm, Partners In Leadership, has launched a new recruiting division, Culture Search. Myles Weiner has been tapped to serve as its executive director. The new division provides executive recruiting services with an emphasis on candidate culture fit and accountability for clients’ organizations. Building upon Partners In Leadership’s strengths in accountability, culture management and executive leadership, the division
Cejka Search Leaders Discuss the Election and Its Impact on Healthcare Leadership
Talent management as the U.S. healthcare industry transforms is a high priority. In addition to grappling with a shortage of physicians and other clinicians, healthcare organizations must also fill new and expanding leadership roles to carry out strategic initiatives in response to current reform efforts, and whatever changes may come its way as a result
Heidrick & Struggles Leading President Search for Baylor University
[Baylor University has retained Heidrick & Struggles to embark on a national effort to find the university’s 15th president. Past president, Kenneth Starr, resigned following a sexual assault scandal. Interim president David Garland, Ph.D., former dean of Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary and professor of Christian Scriptures, took the helm of Baylor University in June. Since 2011, 17
Coulter Partners Recruits Chief Scientific Officer for ERYTECH Pharma
[Executive search firm Coulter Partners has recruited Dr. Alexander Scheer, Ph.D. as chief scientific officer of ERYTECH Pharma. The search was led by director Dr. Kay Wardle, working with managing partner Arnaldo De Lisio. “Coulter Partners was asked to recruit a successor to the founding CSO,” said Dr. Wardle. “This is a critical hire for the organization, requiring someone to
Morris Bixby Names Head of Executive Search Division
Morris Bixby Group, an agribusiness focused search firm, has appointed Allen Smith as managing partner of its new executive division, Morris Bixby Executive. Mr. Smith has an extensive background in the field of agriculture, having managed business units in the U.S., Canada, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Now based in St. Louis, he will lead
NPAworldwide Adds Eight New Member Firms
[Member-owned recruitment network NPAworldwide has added eight new member firms in Australia, the Philippines, United Kingdom, India, and the U.S. This past September, the organization also gained a number of member firms, including SERH, Phillip Reilly, Bertram Resource, MConsulting Solutions, Excelerate Resources, Kites Consulting, BSI People Pty Ltd., Max Populi, LLC, TDM & Associates, LLC, and Acavi. NPA now has
Failure to Develop, Engage and Retain Talent Is Growing
[Businesses are not in tune with their employees’ perceptions of engagement, training and career development, according to a just-released survey of human resource executives conducted by talent management solutions provider Saba. The survey indicated the need for consistent employee feedback across age groups and genders in order to gain an accurate measure of engagement across an entire
Eastward Search Partners Building Out Leadership Team for Oliver Wyman
[Eastward Search Partners is teaming up with management consulting firm Oliver Wyman on a special search project. The recruitment provider is currently assembling leadership profiles for Oliver Wyman’s digital practice buildout (partner/principal positions). Partner Joseph Carbone is leading the searches. Mr. Carbone is beginning with creating a number of leadership profiles that will span cross-industry. Once completed,
Russell Reynolds Associates Recruits Chautauqua Institution President
[Russell Reynolds Associates has placed Michael E. Hill as the 18th president of The Chautauqua Institution. Current president Tom Becker previously announced he planned on retiring at the end of the year after nearly 32 years of service. The search was led by Russell Reynolds Associates’ Washington, D.C., and Boston offices. Following Mr. Becker’s retirement announcement earlier this year, the Chautauqua
Grace Blue Snags Chief Talent Officer As Asia Pacific CEO
[Executive search firm Grace Blue Partnership has named Jean-Michel Wu as its Asia Pacific chief executive officer to lead the firm’s expansion across the region. He will be based in Grace Blue’s regional head office in Singapore alongside APAC chairman Michael Maedel, partners Helen Duffy and Hilda Ng. In addition, he will join the global board of
Conselium Appoints Partner
[Executive search firm Conselium has appointed Steve Harrison as partner. He comes to Conselium with over 12 years of experience in executive search, with a focus on placing compliance professionals in the financial services industry in the New York City and London markets. Prior to joining Conselium, Mr. Harrison was a compliance recruiter at Michael Page Executive
The High Cost of Picking a Wrong Leader
[Selecting a CEO is arguably one of the most vital decisions a board makes. Companies that choose the wrong leader can suffer hits to their stock price and market capitalization and lose in a variety of areas — momentum, opportunities, reputation, customer goodwill and, perhaps most importantly, trust within the organization, which can take years
Eurasia Group Taps DES Recruitment to Find CIO
[Executive search firm DES Recruitment has been selected by Eurasia Group to lead its chief information officer search. John Hodge, managing partner at DES Recruitment, is heading the assignment. “Our client is looking for an innovator and someone to help them create a digital transformation,” he said. The right CIO, said Mr. Hodge, will add more value and become more
Vanderbloemen Search Group Recruits Head of School for Westminster Christian Academy
[Executive recruiting firm Vanderbloemen Search Group has recruited Scott Davis as the new head of school for Westminster Christian Academy. Merida Brooks stepped down in June after 28 years of service to the academy as a teacher, lower school director over three campuses, founding principal of Westminster’s Lafayette Campus, instructional supervisor and, for the last nine years as head of School of
Turnkey Search Launches Executive Coaching Division
[As executive recruiters deepen their relationships in the sports and entertainment field, they’re finding clients receptive to helping them identify all sorts of talent. To that end, sports recruiter Turnkey Search has just launched an executive coaching division. Tony Ponturo, a pioneer of modern sports marketing and president and CEO of Busch Media Group, has joined
AltoPartners Adds New Member Firm in Russia
[AltoPartners, an international alliance of independent executive search firms and leadership consultants, has added Russian executive search and leadership consulting firm Excelion Partners International as its newest member firm. Excelion has been operating in Moscow since 2010 and is a niche player for international companies moving to, or operating in, Russia and for Russian companies and /or
How Employers Can Recruit and Retain Veterans
[ On this Election Day our sights turn to country, duty, and of course, voting. But we wouldn’t have what we do, and live under the protections that we have, if it wasn’t for our military service men and women. To that end, military service is probably the greatest honor that any American we can
Howe-Lewis Tapped to Lead Two Chief Advancement Officer Searches
[Executive search firm Howe-Lewis International has been chosen by Friends of the High Line and the Sundance Institute to lead their searches for chief advancement officers (CAO). Howe-Lewis, a boutique recruiting firm based in New York, serves the not-for-profit and healthcare sectors with clients ranging from education, cultural arts, healthcare, and human services organizations to membership and
Myers McRae Tapped by University of Georgia
[Executive search firm Myers McRae has been retained by the University of Georgia (UGA) to lead its search for a senior associate athletic director for development. Emily Parker Myers, chief executive officer of Myers McRae, and vice president Bobby Hope, are leading the assignment. Ms. Myers is also leading the search for director of development at the College of
