Rob Tillman Launches TillmanPartners; Kelly Carlson Joins PE Firm as Talent Head
March 22, 2019 – Rob Tillman, a veteran executive recruiter and coach, has launched a new firm, TillmanPartners. The Scottsdale, AZ-based firm will provide executive search, integrated coaching and one-on-one coaching specializing in CFOs and CIOs.
“I’ve been blessed to serve hundreds of leaders over the last three decades, and my focus on recruiting and coaching CFOs and CIOs is totally unique in the market today,” said Mr. Tillman, president and CEO. “Launching TillmanPartners allows me to serve an exclusive group of clients with no off-limits conflicts, a vibrant network, and the added capabilities to assist in onboarding and coaching key leaders.”
Mr. Tillman previously founded the executive search boutique TillmanCarlson. He served as CEO of the Chicago-based firm for 16 years, recruiting over 200 CFOs and CIOs and achieving impressive completion and stick rates of 95 percent and 98 percent, respectively. He began his career in search with Russell Reynolds Associates and then served as the managing partner of Crist Partners, leading the firm through its successful sale to Korn Ferry. Mr. Tillman is also a certified executive coach, having completed his certification at the Hudson Institute of Coaching. He is also certified in the Hogan Assessments.
New Directions
Emphasizing the importance of onboarding and coaching in maximizing a new leader’s impact, Mr. Tillman said he combines his expertise as an executive recruiter and coach to integrate assessment and coaching in every search at no additional cost.
Earlier this year, Mr. Tillman’s longtime business partner Kelly Carlson accepted the role as managing director, head of talent, at Symphony Technology Group, a private equity firm in Palo Alto, CA. She spent her final year before the breakup of TillmanCarlson as president and CEO. Before that, she was the firm’s longtime managing director.
Ms. Carlson joined Mr. Tillman a year after the search firm was founded, having worked with him in her previous role for Russell Reynolds Associates. For eight years, she was in Russell Reynolds’ Chicago office as member of its technology practice. Earlier in her career, she worked in the telecommunications industry.
Open for Business
Over the past year, new recruiting firms have put out shingles around the world in a wide range of industries. Here’s a look at a recent sampling from the Hunt Scanlon Media archives:
Newly formed Carpe Diem Partners describes itself as “a truly disruptive firm, end to end, in an industry long overdue for disruption.” The San Francisco-based firm said it offers “faster service, balanced candidate assessments and is the only retained executive search firm nationally certified in diversity & inclusion.”
London-based boutique firm Stanford Search has been founded by Jake Tapsell in partnership with Recruitment Entrepreneur. The new firm will be working on front-office positions across private equity, investment banking and broader alternative investments. Stanford Search is designed to identify and engage with top talent from analyst to senior board levels.
Apotheker Search & Advisory, an executive search and advisory firm specializing in the life sciences industry, recently opened for business in New York City. Suzana Farah Rahman serves as the firm’s managing director. Apotheker’s primary fields of focus include but are not limited to biotech, diagnostics, medical device, pharmaceutical and venture-capital / private equity funds.
Former DHR International recruiters Tina Winner and Steven Oberhoffer have launched Winner Partners in St. Petersburg, FL. Ms. Winner has experience in the fields of human resources, information technology, finance, accounting, engineering, operations, sales and marketing and supply chain.
City Executive Search has been launched in the U.K. by Mike Lee, Dale Williams and Duncan Powell. The firm provides executive search services to organizations in a range of sectors including financial services, information technology, fintech, human resources, sales and marketing.
FIND Executive Consulting recently opened its doors in New York City. The firm was launched by former Martens & Heads! search consultants Kate Benson, Theresa Fuchs-Santiago and Jennifer Puckett. FIND’s industry focus spans the worlds of fashion, beauty, retail, luxury and lifestyle.
Wealth management industry veteran Michael Brody, along with KDS Strategic Search, announced the establishment of Fiduciary Search Group (FSG), a recruiting, placement and search firm offering a new model designed to provide fiduciary representation for premier wealth managers, RIAs and small to mid-sized broker dealers.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
