Slayton Search Partners Expands Financial Services Practice
November 18, 2019 – Chicago-based executive search firm Slayton Search Partners has expanded with the addition of Stuart T. Smith as senior vice president and principal. He will be a key member of the financial services practice, supporting commercial banking, private banking, wealth management and real estate partners.
“Stuart’s skill-set, work ethic and personality make him an excellent fit for our team,” said Richard Slayton, managing partner and CEO. “His dedication to delivering a best-in-class client experience will prove to be a significant asset for our financial services partners.”
Prior to joining Slayton, Mr. Smith cultivated several years of experience with global retainer firms and boutiques. He has a track record of providing community and regional banks, real estate firms, REITs and private equity firms with senior management talent. Previously, Mr. Smith was a principal with Dallas-based search firm Chartwell Partners. Before that, he was a director with CTPartners. He also gained search experience with Spencer Stuart.
Prior to his executive search career, Mr. Smith grew his customer service skills in real estate where he focused on residential lending and industrial brokerage. “His bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship from Syracuse University prepared him well for his career path,” the search firm said.
Slayton Recruiter Discusses the Rise of Counteroffers
The last thing any company official wants to hear is that one of their key executive leaders is resigning in favor of a better career opportunity. If the company is unprepared, making a counteroffer might seem like the only way to keep that executive and the best way to address the woes of a highly competitive candidate market. And they would hardly be alone in thinking so, according to a report just authored by Slayton Search Partners’ John Nimesheim.
“Although a thousand articles exist telling candidates not to accept counteroffers, the truth is we’ve seen a significant rise in counteroffers as well as the number of executive candidates who are willing to accept them,” said Mr. Nimesheim. “For companies looking to hire top talent, knowing how to ensure your candidates won’t be tempted by counteroffers is critical to successful executive hiring.”
“Slayton Search Partners is one of the most respected firms in the industry,” said Mr. Smith. “Their welcoming, world-class culture has already lived up to its reputation, and I look forward to making an impact on the biggest stage in search.”
Veteran Search Firm
Established in 1985, Slayton Search Partners focuses on finding executive talent in the following industries: consumer, retail, financial services, insurance, industrial and private equity. The firm notes that its “network of industry leaders and influencers inevitably leads us to opportunities outside of our core practice areas.” Evolving markets, emerging technologies, and changing consumer habits has impacted all industries, said the search firm, and that the need for strong executive talent is far-reaching.
There is a seismic shift occurring in the consumer-facing sector of the financial services industry. “While the exponential increase of digital and mobile technology is transforming services and products, financial institutions are also caught up in the growing demand for regulatory and risk management functions,” said Slayton Search Partners.
Slayton leverages its deep consumer expertise to build a wide network of executives to tackle these growing challenges and trends. Areas of expertise include banking, consumer finance, credit card and financial technology/payments.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
