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Daily Newswire
Mega-Deals Point To Shifting Priorities In M&A
According to S&P Global, third-quarter deal value for $10 billion-plus transactions has already reached $171.81 billion, nearly matching the $179.74 billion posted in the second quarter — even with fewer transactions. The headline is clear: overall volume may be cooling, but the deals that do close are bigger, bolder, and designed to reshape industries. This reflects
Pearl Street Collective Seeking CEO for NOCO Humane
Boston-based Pearl Street Collective was recently retained by NOCO Humane in Loveland, CO, to lead in its search for a new CEO. The organization seeks a strategic, collaborative, and community-rooted CEO to lead the organization into its next era following the planned transition of its long-serving and widely respected leader. This moment of continuity and change offers
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.
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
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?
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,
IIC Partners Adds New Member Firm in New Zealand
IIC Partners Executive Search Worldwide has added Auckland, New Zealand-based Infinitas as its newest member firm expanding its capabilities across the Asia-Pacific region. “I am thrilled to welcome Infinitas to IIC Partners,” said Christine Hayward, executive director of IIC Partners. Their people-first philosophy, tech-enabled search processes, and talent advisory capabilities deeply align with our mission to transform
Hiring for the Culture You Don’t Yet Have
For much of the past decade, organizations have invested heavily in strategy, technology and operational efficiency to navigate an increasingly complex business environment. Yet despite these investments, many transformation initiatives continue to fall short of expectations. The differentiator is rarely the strategy itself. More often, success depends on whether leadership teams have the right people
BoardWalk Consulting Leading CEO Search for Downtown Atlanta Inc.
BoardWalk Consulting has been tapped by Downtown Atlanta Inc. (DAI) to lead in its search for a CEO. The search is being led by Sam Pettway, Crystal Stephens, and Patti Kish. The organization is seeking a leader who can help define what the next generation of Downtown Atlanta will become. This is a leadership opportunity of unusual scale and
Peña Search Assists To Be Like Me with the Recruitment of Executive Director
Peña Search recently assisted in the recruitment of Lauren Rowe as the new executive for To Be Like Me (TBLM) in Dallas, TX. Travis Hillier, Carlos González Peña, and Thaise Pereira led the assignment. She replaces To Be Like Me founder Hollis Owens, who has served as executive director since 2018 and initiated the search for her replacement last
BroadView Talent Partners Tapped by Baltimore Community Lending for President/CEO Search
BroadView Talent Partners was recently retained by Baltimore Community Lending, Inc. (BCL) to lead in its search for a new president and CEO. Tracy McMillan, Robyn Quinn, and Donna Young are leading the assignment. The CEO is the strategic, operational, and external leader of Baltimore Community Lending, responsible for driving the organization’s next era of growth and
What Skills Do CEOs Need Today to Succeed
While the pandemic is in the rearview mirror, that doesn’t mean we aren’t experiencing challenging times. From economics to politics, and from cyber threats to artificial intelligence (AI), the world can be difficult to navigate—and so can the role of a CEO. A 2024 survey from The Conference Board showed that inflation and a possible
Lawrence Harvey Group Adds Legal Expert
London-based The Lawrence Harvey Group has appointed Barry Cullen as its new general counsel. Mr. Cullen will support the firm’s international expansion as well as provide ongoing support with both internal & external legal and operational matters. He brings 15 years’ experience working within and advising the recruitment sector and has extensive experience advising a
MPS Executive Search Names Senior Partner in Stockholm
MPS Executive Search has named Christopher Thölix as senior partner in the firm’s Stockholm office. Mr. Thölix has been a partner in Helsinki since 2003. He has responsibility for executive search and management audit and coaching. Before joining MPS, Mr. Thölix worked for two decades in international business development and in sales leadership. “We have
Heidrick & Struggles Retained to Find CEO for MGP
Executive search firm Heidrick & Struggles International has been retained by MGP to assist the company with the recruitment of a new chief executive officer. “We are very excited to move forward with this key step in the process of finding the right CEO to lead our company,” said MGP board chairman Cloud L. “Bud”
Baker and Associates Leading Search for Wake Forest School of Business
Baker and Associates, LLC, has been selected by The Wake Forest University School of Business to assist in its search for a new senior associate dean of diversity & global initiatives. The search is being handled by Martin M. Baker, senior vice president at Baker and Associates. The Wake Forest University School of Business offers
Addison Group Acquires HireStrategy
Addison Group, a provider of professional recruiting services, has expanded with the acquisition of HireStrategy, a full-service professional recruiting firm based in Reston, Virginia. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Addison Group and HireStrategy each deliver contract, contract-to-hire and executive search services to companies across information technology, finance and accounting, human resources and administrative
Senior Level Job Hopping Underpins Rebounding Recruiting Sector
The BlueSteps 2013 Executive Mobility Report shows that 76 percent of senior executives worldwide are willing to change jobs immediately for the right new opportunity, with 49 percent actively seeking a new position. Executives working in the technology sector report the greatest likelihood of making a job change, with 55.1 percent of tech executives reporting
Frazer Jones Adds Menko to Recruiting Team
Global HR recruiter Frazer Jones has appointed Stephen Menko as manager of the permanent division within the firm’s commerce & industry team. Mr. Menko has over 13 years’ recruitment experience, most recently working for Ortus HR (part of the FiveTen Group) as U.K. director, where he had a strong track record recruiting at director and
Accelent Appoints Partner
Accelent, Inc. has added Drew Seath as a partner. Mr. Seath brings 30-plus years of experience as a sales and marketing leader at fast growing, technology-enabled businesses. In 2011, he launched Absolute Value, a sales recruiting and consulting business. Prior to this, he served as president at Medefield America, a specialized healthcare database business. His
Whitman Partners Completes Search for UMMC
Executive search firm Whitman Partners, Inc. has placed Nancy Hicks as the director of surgical services at University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). Ms. Hicks was previously the clinical director of surgical services at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. The search was conducted by Jeff Davidson, executive recruiter at Whitman Partners, and assisted
Harris Search Fills VP Research Post for Old Dominion
Dublin, Ohio-based Harris Search Associates has recruited Dr. Morris Foster as the new vice president for research at Old Dominion University. Dr. Foster is a medical anthropologist who has been on the faculty of the University of Oklahoma for 27 years and has received more than $12 million in independent research funding. Old Dominion University,
Career Partners International Names EMEA Leader
Career Partners International (CPI), a global provider of outplacement services and talent management solutions, has named Miriam Magner-Flynn as the new leader for the firm’s EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) region. In this role, Ms. Magner-Flynn, CEO of Career Decisions Ireland/Career Partners International – Ireland, now joins the global leadership team of Career Partners
InterSearch Adds New Member Firm in South Africa
InterSearch Worldwide, a global network of executive search firms, has added South Africa-based Mindcor to its network of alliance firms. Based in Johannesburg, Mindcor specializes in the financial services, ICT, mining, manufacturing and FMCG industries. “Mindcor has grown into an expert group of human capital focused businesses, each specializing in searching for, recruiting, and developing
Lochlin Partners Fills Position for American Express
Boutique executive search firm Lochlin Partners has placed Amy Best as vice president of government affairs at American Express. The search was led by managing partner Liza Wright. Ms. Best previously served as the director of government, regulatory affairs and public policy at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), LLP. American Express is a global services company, providing customers
Waverly Partners Leading Search for Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Executive search firm Waverly Partners has been selected by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce to lead in its search for a new president and chief executive officer. Jim Anderson, Springfield Area’s current leader, will be retiring this summer. Formed in 2001, Waverly Partners is a nationwide retained executive search firm that serve a wide
Hays Search Group Adds Contract Staffing to Service Offerings
Hays Search Group has expanded its services to offer to include contract staffing by partnering with recruiting firm Top Echelon Contracting, Inc. Hays Search Group, founded by Michelle Hays, is a national, woman-owned search firm specializing in continengency and retained searches with a concentration on information technology and related sales/marketing and accounting/finance positions. The firm
Company Culture Ranks First Among Banking Leaders Says Smith & Wilkinson
New data from Smith & Wilkinson, a banking executive search firm, indicates that a growing number of commercial lenders feel company culture and the ability to get along with team members are the most important components of job satisfaction. When respondents were asked what was most important to them at the workplace, 47 percent of
hrQ Names Managing Consultant in Dallas
hrQ, an executive search and professional services firm focused exclusively on the human resources sector, has added Donna Plumbo as managing consultant in its Dallas office. Ms. Plumbo joins hrQ with more than 20 years of HR and recruiting experience within top companies such as CBRE, Andersen Windows & Doors and Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Diversified Search Places Three Key Healthcare Executives
Diversified Search has made three key healthcare executive placements. The firm recruited Paul Yodice, M.D., as chair of medicine at St. Barnabas Medical Center; Dr. Yodice was formerly director, division of critical care, at St. Barnabas. The firm also placed Mark Babyatsky, M.D., as the chair of medicine at Monmouth Medical Center; Dr. Babyatsky was
Egon Zehnder To Lead CEO Search For Infosys
Global executive search firm Egon Zehnder has been selected by Infosys Ltd. (INFO) to lead its search for a new chief executive officer. According to sources, this would be the first time Infosys is likely to have a CEO who isn’t a founder of the company. Infosys is an Indian multinational that provides business consulting,
Growing Demand for Data Scientists Driving Up Salaries
Data scientists, the elusive kingpins in the Big Data movement, can earn base salaries well over $200,000, are younger, overwhelmingly male, have at least a master’s degree and probably a Ph.D., and one in three are foreign born, according to the first-ever study looking at salaries, education levels, gender and geographical location of this new
Adicio Partners With National Journal
Adicio Inc., a provider of interactive classified advertising software solutions for media companies, has partnered with National Journal, a leading politics and policy media brand, to launch a new career site. National Journal will utilize Adicio’s CareerCastRevManage program, which provides site management, operations and customer support, as well as complete online sales and marketing efforts.
AMROP Makes Additions and Promotions
Amrop has added and/or promoted 14 partners within its global partnership of executive search consultants. They include: Andreas Weik, managing director – Frankfurt; Dr. Petra Meyer-Ochel, managing director – Düsseldorf; Volker Rieso, managing director – Düsseldorf; Mayank Pande, partner – New Delhi; Maisa Maion, partner – Sao Paulo; Ann De Somere, partner – Ghent; Mikael
AIMS International Names Global Head of Automotive Practice
Alexander Müller, AIMS International partner based in Munich, will serve as the organization’s global head of its automotive practice team. In the last 20 years as a management consultant, Mr. Müller has gained experience in conducting international cross-functional C-suite and senior executive searches as well as executive coaching and management appraisal assignments in various key
Accelent Recruits SVP Sales for Wochit
Accelent, Inc. has placed Marc Schraer as the new senior vice president of sales at Wochit Inc. Previously, Mr. Schraer served as SVP of global sales and account management for Visible Measures. Wochit refers to itself as a revolution in short form video. Its cloud based video creation platform enables brands and storytellers to instantly
F.A.I.T.H. Resources Merges With Advantage Partners
F.A.I.T.H. Resources, a values and integrity-based recruitment and interim staffing firm specializing in finance, accounting, information technology and human resources, has merged with Advantage Placements, an Irvine-based recruitment firm. The new corporate headquarters will be located in Newport Beach. F.A.I.T.H. Resources will continue to be led by Joseph Ruiz, president and founding partner, who has
Caldwell Partners Posts 34 Percent Q2 Revenue Gain
Executive search firm The Caldwell Partners International Inc. has posted 2014 second quarter revenues of $9.15 million, up 34 percent compared to $6.82 million the prior year. U.S. revenues increased 45 percent to $6.56 million while revenues from Canadian operations increased 12 percent to $2.59 million. "This is the fourth consecutive quarter in which we
Epsen Fuller Group Closes President/COO Search for Tingley Rubber
Executive search firm Epsen Fuller Group has placed Michael S.Zedalis, Ph.D., as president and chief operating officer of Tingley Rubber Corporation. Formerly, Dr. Zedalis was senior vice president, advanced concepts & technologies and chief technology officer spanning an 11 year career at Ansell. “We were searching for deep and relevant PP&E industry experience and demonstrated
Harvey Nash Opens New Office in Bristol
Harvey Nash, a global provider of professional recruitment and outsourcing services, has opened a dedicated recruiting hub in Bristol, U.K. Opened in response to increasing demand in the region for technology experts as well as experienced IT leaders, the new office will work closely with Harvey Nash’s offices throughout the U.K., and globally. Alastair Hacking,
Neher & Associates Leading Search for City of Oakland
West Sacramento, CA-based executive recruiter Neher & Associates, LLC, has been selected by the City of Oakland to lead in its search for a new chief information officer. With an estimated population of 420,183, Oakland is the eighth largest city in California; it serves as the administrative hub of Alameda County and the center of
Executives Changing Jobs Averaged 16 Percent Compensation Spike
For the fourth straight year, senior executives who changed jobs last year received compensation increases that topped 16 percent, reports executive search firm Salveson Stetson Group. The increases were above the 11 percent that was typical during the recession, but nowhere near the 25 percent increases in the two years before the recession began in
Reffett Associates Names Managing Director in Hartford Office
Reffett Associates, Ltd. has appointed Raymond J. Arroyo as managing director in its Hartford, CT office. Mr. Arroyo previously served as head of alternative distribution for Aetna, Inc., where he also served as that company’s chief diversity officer for eight years. He will focus on the New York Metro, Connecticut, and Boston areas. “Raymond brings
