Verriez Executive Search Expands
January 31, 2017 – Verriez Executive Search has expanded its staff with the addition of Brent Verriez as vice president. He brings over 11 years of experience in finance and accounting.
“Having successfully run a retained search practice since 1985 specializing in CFOs and other senior level financial officer positions, it became increasingly apparent that I needed to formulate an exit strategy,” said Paul Verriez, president. “I still have an immense passion for this business and over the years have had numerous consultants working for the firm, however I was always the main rainmaker bringing in new business and I never felt that I could leave the company in good hands.”
“While Brent was working on his HBA degree at the Ivey Business School at Western University, he got some early exposure to executive search during the summers and the fact that our niche is in finance helped solidify his decision to pursue his CA designation,” Mr. Verriez added.
In 2005, Mr. Verriez’s son joined PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in London, Ontario and obtained his Chartered Accountant (now Chartered Professional Accountant) designation in 2008. As a manager in the audit and assurance practice at PwC, he provided accounting services for annual audits, quarterly reviews, business acquisitions and divestitures, due diligence procedures and consultations on complex accounting and reporting issues. He gained experience working with a variety of clients – multinational corporations (U.S., Germany, Switzerland, Singapore), both publicly and privately held companies, manufacturing and services sectors, financial services and pension funds.
In 2013 he joined Movati Athletic (formerly The Athletic Club) in the role of corporate controller. At Movati he was able to gain experience working on a private equity sale and after some corporate restructuring in 2015, he was appointed interim CFO in addition to the corporate controller role. He oversaw the accounting and administration team at Movati, supporting the senior executive team and club managers at 12 locations across Ontario.
Another Father & Son Team Join Forces
As Millennials and other younger generation professionals survey the jobs landscape, a number are considering executive search as a primary career path. According to recruiters, the talent solutions field is ideal for young professionals who have gleaned a few years of functional or industry experience. While it used to be that less experienced professionals would join a search firm in a research capacity, that has changed as stronger intern programs have been upgraded and institutionalized. Many point to an intern training program now up and running at Heidrick & Struggles as one of the very best among the top five search firms ….. Here’s some further reading from Hunt Scanlon Media.
Onstott Group Keeps It a Family Affair With New Hire
The Onstott Group recently named Cullen Onstott as a VP. Mr. Onstott, an energy trader who spent five years in institutional commodities, brings “a fresh perspective, a keen knowledge of digital media, strong analytical skills, and good executive presence,” according to his new boss, and father, Joe Onstott.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Verriez Executive Search after 11 years in finance and accounting,” said Mr. Verriez, 35. “While I truly enjoyed my time as a finance professional, this is a change in my career that feels very natural. I have grown up being very close to the world of executive search, watching my father grow this business over the past 31 years.”
“Now that Brent is on board, he brings a whole new dimension to our client presentations: he has been a CFO and I have over 30 years of search experience with over 550 completed search assignments,” said Mr. Verriez. “Brent also brings new fresh contacts with private equity firms as well as connections through his own experiences at PwC and Ivey.”
Established in 1985, Verriez is a boutique search firm in Ontario that focuses on CFO searches for a wide array of industries.
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media