Spencer Stuart Appoints Advisory Services Co-Leader
June 9, 2022 – Spencer Stuart has named Miranda Pode as co-leader of its global advisory services platform. “We are delighted that Miranda has joined Spencer Stuart to co-lead our advisory services globally,” said Ben Williams, CEO of Spencer Stuart. “Her global perspective and considerable advisory and leadership talents make her an ideal fit for this role. Aligning our Spencer Stuart, Kincentric, and Cambria advisory services under Miranda and Bob’s leadership will help bring together our teams and capabilities across executive search and leadership advisory in a more integrated way for our clients.” Ms. Pode is a skilled executive coach and an adviser to boards, CEOs, and other C-suite leaders, especially in the area of CEO and senior leader transitions, transformational leadership, and diversity and inclusion, applying both her consulting expertise and her leadership experience in senior strategy, commercial management, and marketing roles for Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 organizations.
Based in London, Ms. Pode joins Spencer Stuart from Egon Zehnder, where she co-led the global financial services practice, focusing on banking, insurance, and consumer finance. She was also part of the firm’s board consulting, CEO, and human resources practices, and led the London office. Previously, Ms. Pode was a member of the executive committee of Marks & Spencer’s food division, running the marketing and strategy function as well as the direct food businesses. She also held various roles at Sainsbury’s, including leading investor relations, strategy, and the petrol-retailing operations. Ms. Pode began her career as an investor relations consultant in Boston and London, advising U.S. companies seeking access to European equity markets.
In her position with Spencer Stuart, Ms. Pode joins Robert DeVries, who assumed his co-leadership responsibilities in January and has been with the firm 16 years. He also co-leads Spencer Stuart’s global hospitality and leisure practice and is a core member of the firm’s board, CEO and private equity practices. Mr. DeVries has also previously served as global head of the firm’s industry and functional practices and as co-head of Spencer Stuart’s North America business.
“I am excited to join Spencer Stuart, a firm that is deeply passionate about discovering and developing leaders, at a time when leadership has never mattered more,” said Ms. Pode. “I am thrilled to work with Bob and the firm’s incredibly talented team to deliver our capabilities in a cohesive way that enables meaningful impact for our clients, who are facing an increasingly changing and challenging world.”
Related: Spencer Stuart Appoints U.K. Managing Partner
Privately held since 1956, Spencer Stuart focuses on delivering knowledge, insight, and results through the collaborative efforts of a team of search professionals, now spanning 56 offices, 30 countries, and more than 50 practice specialties. Spencer Stuart helps clients address their leadership needs in areas such as senior-level executive search, board recruitment, board effectiveness, succession planning, in-depth senior management assessment, and many other facets of organizational effectiveness.
New C-Suite Leaders
In April, Spencer Stuart appointed Tony Byers as chief inclusion and diversity officer. For more than a year, he has served as a member of the firm’s group of external diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) advisors. “Tony brings a wealth of expertise to our firm, having spent nearly three decades championing diversity, equity, and inclusion across various industries and companies,” said Mr. Williams. “We have benefited greatly from his wisdom and dedication to this work over the past year, and I am confident his leadership will not only strengthen our firm, but help us deepen our impact with clients, candidates, and society more broadly.”
Dr. Byers has more than 30 years of experience in DEI. Over the past five years, he has served as a DEI thought leader, public speaker, and strategic advisor to clients through the management consulting firm he founded. In addition, he served as senior faculty and director of the Modern Chief Diversity Officer Program (MCDO) at Cornell University’s ILR School, Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies (CAHRS), collaborating with senior executives to develop and lead impactful D&I strategies.
Spencer Stuart recently added Christine Laurens, former chief financial officer for global management consulting firm Kearney, as its new CFO. She succeeded Valerie Harper, who became the firm’s head of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific. “We are delighted to welcome Christine Laurens to Spencer Stuart as our chief financial officer and member of our global leadership team,” said Mr. Williams. “Christine is a deeply experienced finance leader in professional services and brings a global perspective and growth mindset to our firm.”
Spencer Stuart also named Lucy Lopez as general counsel and chief legal officer. She succeeded Dave Rasmussen, who retired after 24 years with the firm. “Her extensive legal background within professional services, deep experience in serving clients effectively and helping evolving businesses grow, as well as her demonstrated commitment to supporting and developing others, makes her an ideal choice for this role,” said Mr. Williams. Ms. Lopez, who is based in New York, joined Spencer Stuart after more than two decades with McKinsey & Company, most recently serving as deputy general counsel and head of legal, Americas.
The firm also recently added Wanda Felton, former vice chair and first vice president of the Export-Import Bank, as senior advisor to the firm’s board practice. As senior advisor, Ms. Felton acts as a key thought leader, advising Spencer Stuart’s North American board practice on expanding diversity capabilities and recruiting efforts as well as helping to connect the firm with the diverse governance community.
Related: Spencer Stuart Appoints U.K. Managing Partner
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
