RSR Partners Elects New Chairman as Founder Transitions to Chairman Emeritus
June 15, 2022 – The founder of Greenwich, Conn.-based RSR Partners, Russell S. Reynolds Jr., has started a leadership transition process that will see him move from executive chairman to chairman emeritus. Mr. Reynolds, 90, will be succeeded by R. Todd Ruppert as non-executive chairman. “The impact Russ has had on the industry, our firm, and me is immeasurable,” said Brett Stephens, the firm’s CEO. “We are honored that he will remain on our board and that we can continue to access his expertise and insight on finding and selecting the next generation of leaders. Todd is a compelling successor considering his success as an investor and entrepreneur, his breath of global experience, and his intimate knowledge of our firm. We are confident that Todd will be instrumental in helping to position the firm for the future.”
Mr. Reynolds has been a pioneer in the executive search profession for more than 50 years. He served as chairman of RSR Partners, which he founded in 1993, for nearly 30 years. He previously served as chairman and CEO of his eponymous firm, Russell Reynolds Associates, which he founded in 1969.
Mr. Ruppert has been a longstanding member of RSR Partners’ advisory board. He is currently the founder and CEO of Ruppert International, a firm with diversified interests globally in various fields including strategy consulting, financial services, disruptive technologies, publishing, arts and entertainment, and education. He retired from T. Rowe Price, the global asset management firm, where he was president and CEO of T. Rowe Price Global Investment Services, co-president of T. Rowe Price International, and a member of the operating steering committee of the T. Rowe Price group. Mr. Ruppert is a board member of, and advisor to, numerous organizations globally. He is also president of London’s Royal Parks Foundation (USA) and board member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mr. Ruppert served as a board member of INSEAD Business School from 2012 to 2021.
Russell S. Reynolds Jr. is the founder and chairman emeritus of RSR Partners. After 50 years in the executive search business, he seeks to grow the firm by thinking strategically and globally. Mr. Reynolds also mentors the firm’s employees and meets with current and prospective clients.
“It is my privilege to join RSR Partners at this pivotal moment for the firm and for the broader profession,” said Mr. Ruppert. “In my own ventures and as a member of the firm’s advisory board, I have experienced first-hand the transformative impact leadership can have on an organization and have admiration and respect for the professionals who excel in this field. I share Russ’ inspiring passion for executive search. The firm has gained tremendous value from his long-term industry perspective. On behalf of the firm and the board, we thank Russ for his leadership and for his tremendous contribution to the legacy of the firm and to the executive search profession,” he said.
Related: RSR Partners Combines Family-Owned and Family Office Practice
RSR Partners offers any number of vertical specializations, including consumer goods and services, hospitality, industrial, financial services, retail, board, CEOs, CFOs, CHROs, chief information officers, chief marketing officers, sport leadership, risk, board recruiting, board advisory, management consulting, technology, innovation, leadership, assessment, asset management, family office, fintech, investment technology, blockchain, cryptocurrency, leadership assessment, executive search, talent, talent advisory, healthcare, life sciences, human capital, and corporate affairs.
Specializations
The range of services RSR Partners provides to boards and CEOs include CEO succession planning, CEO search and selection, managing CEO transitions, director recruiting, director succession planning, board evaluations and effectiveness, C-suite search and talent pipeline development, building high performing teams, leadership assessment and succession planning, discreet and thorough candidate due diligence, CEO advisory support and helping CEOs select an outside board.
RSR Partners recently added Eric Douglas Keene to the firm’s board and CEO services practice as a managing director in Chicago. “Eric is a terrific addition to our board and CEO services practice,” said Mr. Stephens. “He has successfully operated at the intersection of the boardroom and C-suite and has the experience and capabilities for building high performing and diverse teams.”
Mr. Keene has more than 25 years of experience recruiting a range of board directors, C-suite level executives, and commercial leaders for clients throughout the U.S. He leads engagements across a variety of industries, including consumer products and goods, industrial technology, financial services, private equity, and healthcare and life sciences. He is also a seasoned functional expert recruiter in the areas of strategy, human resources, marketing and sales, finance, operations, and information technology. He is the founder and president of Keene Advisory Group. He previously served as a firm-wide leader on diversity and inclusion and was a member of the consumer and corporate officers’ practices at Russell Reynolds Associates.
Related: RSR Partners Names Consumer Goods & Services Practice Leader
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
