Riviera Partners Grows Public Practice
June 10, 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 Will Potter as a managing partner, where he will help lead the firm’s public practice, working with enterprise and public companies to build world-class technology leadership teams. “We’re thrilled to welcome Will back to the team,” said Michael A. Morell, co-founder and managing partner at Riviera Partners. “He has a proven ability to scale relationships and deliver results for clients at the highest level. His blend of entrepreneurial, search, and operating experience makes him uniquely positioned to grow our public practice.”
Mr. Potter’s return reinforces Riviera’s continued investment in delivering top-tier tech leadership talent to companies across all stages, from venture-backed startups to publicly traded global enterprises.
Mr. Potter brings over 15 years of experience in executive search and entrepreneurship. He previously co-founded and ran Bamboo Talent, a New York-based boutique executive search firm focused on technology, which Riviera acquired in 2019. During his first tenure as a partner at Riviera, Mr. Potter was instrumental in growing the firm’s global presence and advising clients on mission-critical executive hires. Most recently, he served as CEO and co-founder of AZAK, Inc., a defense-tech startup revolutionizing electric mobility for elite U.S. Department of Defense teams.
“Riviera has always represented the gold standard in executive search for technology leadership,” said Mr. Potter. “I’m excited to return at such a pivotal moment—helping public companies navigate this next era of innovation and transformation by placing leaders who drive meaningful impact.”
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.
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 Public Practice
Riviera Partners also recently added Adam Zellner as a partner in its public practice. His arrival further enhanced 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 Mr. Morell. “We’re thrilled to welcome him as we continue to expand our support for companies undergoing transformation and growth.”
Related: Riviera Partners Acquires Arete Partners, Creates Riviera Ventures
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 Partners Expands with PE Veteran
Riviera Partners has expanded with the addition of 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.”
Riviera Partners also 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.
Related: Riviera Partners Adds Veteran HR Executive
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
