Riviera Partners Names Managing Partner and General Manager of Paragon
March 6, 2026 – San Francisco-based Riviera Partners, a recruitment provider specializing in C-level engineering, product, and design leader placements, has appointed Chris Rice as managing partner and general manager of Paragon, the firm’s global high-volume recruiting division supporting technology founders, leaders, and investors.
“Talent remains the clearest advantage in the AI era,” said Michael Newcomer, chief executive officer of Riviera Partners. “Companies are rebuilding product and engineering teams faster than planning cycles can keep up. Chris’s leadership will ensure Paragon has the operating discipline and talent-market perspective to help clients build teams that can continually execute, adapt, and deliver.”
Mr. Rice previously served as partner and general manager of Paragon since 2024, leading the growing division’s work with engineering and product organizations to grow and transform teams from individual contributors through directors.
“From growth-stage companies through enterprises, hiring teams are carrying bigger mandates with tighter timelines,” said Mr. Rice. “Paragon is built to partner with internal recruiting and business leaders to deliver consistent, high-volume hiring and strategic insights so that technology teams can scale talent capacity quickly and keep quality high as the market shifts.”
Mr. Rice, an eight-year veteran of the United States Army, joined Riviera Partners in 2020 after serving as director of talent at JUUL Labs and head of global talent acquisition, for Intel’s Artificial Intelligence Division. His extensive experience also includes talent acquisition leadership roles for engineering, R&D, data, digital, IT, and quality and regulatory organizations.
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 Expands with PE Veteran
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.
New COO
Last October, Riviera Partners named Sandy Ma as chief operating officer. “Sandy has been at the heart of our growth—always bringing sharp strategy, a steady hand, and genuine care for the people she works with,” Riviera Partners said in a LinkedIn post. “In her new role, she’ll oversee shared services, search excellence, operations, finance, product, and HR, helping these teams do their best work for our clients and employees. You won’t find a more trusted or appreciated teammate. Over her 16 years at Riviera, Sandy has truly earned this moment.”
Ms. Ma joined Riviera Partners in 2009 and has held multiple positions with the firm. “We take pride in our clients’ successes as if they were our own,” the firm said. “Sandy’s leadership ensures that Riviera’s dedication and passion are reflected in the caliber of our execution and commitment to service.”
Past Acquisition
Riviera Partners also recently acquired Board and Technology (BaT). The firm’s founder Olof Pripp has joined Riviera as a partner. Board and Technology will continue to operate under its name, co-branded as “Board and Technology – Powered by Riviera Partners.” Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “We are thrilled to welcome Olof to Riviera Partners,” said Mr. Newcomer. “His exceptional experience advising boards and leadership teams brings a new dimension to our work. With his expertise and our shared values of innovation, entrepreneurship, and diversity, we are uniquely positioned to deliver transformational leadership solutions for our clients around the globe — from the boardrooms of large public companies to the founders of the most promising startups.”
Mr. Pripp brings decades of experience advising boards and C-suites, with a distinguished record in board governance, CEO succession, and executive leadership across Europe and the United States. As the founder of Board and Technology, he has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to some of the world’s largest corporations, as well as fast-growing technology companies. His work spans board reviews, governance advisory, and leadership succession, with a personal track record of guiding clients through the most critical transitions in the boardroom and beyond.
Related: Riviera Partners Grows Public Practice
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
