Riviera Partners Expands Public Practice
May 9, 2025 – San Francisco-based Riviera Partners, a recruitment provider specializing in C-level engineering, product, and design leader placements, has expanded with the addition of Adam Zellner as a partner in its public practice. His arrival further enhances Riviera’s capabilities in helping large-scale enterprises identify and secure senior technology leaders. “Adam’s track record with enterprise clients and his deep understanding of technology leadership make him an exceptional addition to our team,” said Michael A. Morell, co-founder and managing partner at Riviera Partners. “We’re thrilled to welcome him as we continue to expand our support for companies undergoing transformation and growth.”
Mr. Zellner brings over a decade of experience from Heidrick & Struggles, where he advised global organizations on building high-performing technology leadership teams. As a senior member of the firm’s technology and digital practice, he led executive searches for CIO, CTO, CPO, and CISO roles, guiding enterprise clients through complex periods of growth, innovation, and digital transformation.
At Riviera, Mr. Zellner will leverage the firm’s differentiated platform—grounded in deep technical expertise, advanced data science, and decades of placement insight—to deliver a higher caliber of leadership assessment and talent access. “His work will focus on shaping and scaling executive teams capable of driving sustainable enterprise success,” the firm said. Based in Chicago, Mr. Zellner will serve clients across North America and globally.
“Riviera’s unique combination of technical depth, data-driven insights, and unparalleled access to tech talent makes it the ideal platform for delivering even greater value to my clients,” said Mr. Zellner. “I’m excited to help organizations identify transformative leaders and build the teams that power long-term success.”
Riviera Partners is a global recruiting firm specializing in the technology industry. The firm provides clients with optimal placements by combining recruiter interactions and experience with data-driven findings about candidates. Riviera Partners has recruited for key executive roles at Pinterest, Postmates, Tinder, Twilio, Uber, Asana, Dropbox, GitHub, DoorDash, Hulu, and partnered with venture-backed concerns, including Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia, Benchmark, Accel, Menlo Ventures, KPCB, Greylock, and General Catalyst.
Related: Riviera Partners Adds Veteran HR Executive
Through machine learning algorithms, Riviera Partners identifies specialized, highly qualified candidates that fit an organization’s needs from 600,000 professionals across tech geographies. Riviera can often provide a short list of candidates in 30 days and has a success rate of over 95 percent.
Growing Search Firm
Riviera Partners recently added Sam Wholley as a managing partner. A seasoned operator, executive coach, and search professional, he returns to Riviera after four years as an operating partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, where he advised portfolio companies on leadership, product strategy, and organizational design. “Sam embodies the core values that have defined Riviera for over two decades—grit, empathy, pride, and transparency,” said Ali Behnam, co-founder and managing partner at Riviera Partners. “His deep understanding of what great product and engineering leadership looks like, combined with his experience as a trusted advisor to growth-stage founders, makes him uniquely positioned to help our clients build high-performing teams in today’s evolving market.”
Mr. Wholley was previously with Riviera Partners for nearly a decade, where he played a pivotal role in helping to scale the firm’s product and technical leadership practice and placing top talent at some of the world’s most innovative companies. In his time away, he expanded his impact by formally coaching founders and executives—offering guidance to those navigating both the strategic and human complexities of building transformative companies.
Riviera Partners also recently expanded with the addition of Joe Ghory as a partner within its AI, ML & data practice. “We are thrilled to welcome Joe as we expand our practice,” said Kyle Langworthy, head of the AI, ML & data practice at Riviera Partners. “His deep expertise in AI, advanced analytics, and digital transformation is unparalleled, and his ability to recruit game-changing leaders aligns perfectly with our mission. As AI continues to revolutionize the competitive landscape, Joe’s experience, insights, and guidance will be instrumental in helping our clients build teams that harness technology to achieve next-level growth.”
A recognized thought leader in AI-driven strategy and digital transformation, Mr. Ghory specializes in recruiting transformative executives at the convergence of AI, technology, product, and innovation. In this role, he partners with private equity investors, their portfolio companies, and leading organizations to build senior teams that drive competitive differentiation and technology-led growth. Prior to joining Riviera, Mr. Ghory served as the global head of the AI, advanced data, and analytics practice at Russell Reynolds Associates, where he advised boards and C-suite executives on leveraging technology to unlock strategic opportunities.
Related: Riviera Partners Acquires Arete Partners, Creates Riviera Ventures
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
