Walking the Talk Appoints CEO
July 19, 2023 – Walking the Talk, a consulting and advisory firm focused on culture transformation which was acquired in 2021 by ZRG, has appointed Amanda Fajak as CEO. Walking the Talk founder Carolyn Taylor will transition to a senior advisor role and focus on key client and keynote speaking engagements. Ms. Fajak has been an integral part of the leadership of Walking the Talk for nearly a decade. “Carolyn’s decades of experience in advising some of the largest companies in the world on culture and building one of the world’s leading culture consultancies, whose mission is to make culture do-able has, set Walking the Talk up as a premier brand the world over,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “She’s handing the reins to an excellent successor in Amanda Fajak, and we’re thrilled to continue offering these services to our clients.”
“In the past year, as president of our Americas business, Amanda has spearheaded our expansion in North America,” said Ms. Taylor. “I am happy to have her step into a new leadership role, serving our clients and our team.”
Ms. Fajak has over 25 years of experience in culture management. Her professional career has spanned continents, with extensive engagements across Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas, driving enterprise-wide change in a diverse range of industries, including financial services, telecommunications, energy, technology, and pharmaceuticals. Ms. Fajak has a master’s degree in organizational behavior from the University of London and has been published in the British Journal of Social Psychology on the topic of diversity and inclusion. Additionally, she was a contributor to the World Book of Values and has served as an advisor to the U.K. government on culture.
“Learning from and working with Carolyn has been an amazing stage of my own career,” said Ms. Fajak. “I am excited to continue the work of Walking the Talk in the Americas and worldwide as we continue to help make culture a catalyst for our clients’ growth, helping the people and organizations we work with thrive.”
Under Ms. Fajak’s leadership and with the backing and investment of ZRG, Walking the Talk has expansion plans for its range of culture transformation, leadership development, and assessment and succession solutions. “Leveraging their 30 years of experience in culture and combining that with the latest in digital and AI solutions, they will enable clients to accelerate transformation to unlock performance and purpose in an ever changing world,” ZRG said.
Related: ZRG Names Chief Revenue Officer
ZRG acquired Walking the Talk last summer in a deal in which Hunt Scanlon Ventures facilitated the introduction and transaction between both organizations. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Enhancing Performance Results
Walking the Talk specializes in enhancing performance results by aligning culture with strategy. Since the company was established 12 years ago, culture has landed firmly on the agenda of most executive teams and boards of directors.
ZRG Acquires Walking the Talk
As companies reinvent themselves and drive to a more human workplace, they are turning to executive recruiters for more than just leadership advice. Hunt Scanlon Ventures goes inside an unexpected summertime acquisition that establishes a unique strategic path for one search firm.
As pioneers in this field, understanding the impact culture has on growth, performance, and reputation, Walking the Talk has grown to become the largest consulting firm solely focused on the culture agenda. The firm operates globally and has supported clients on dozens of engagements, which can last anywhere from a few months to a few years.
“Hiring top talent that aligns with a client’s culture objective has been a key success factor for ZRG,” said Mr. Hartmann at the time of the acquisition. “With the addition of Walking the Talk, we will expand our consulting and talent solutions capabilities, helping our clients address challenging topics like change management and culture transformation. Walking the Talk’s intellectual property developed by Ms. Taylor and the team will enhance our ability to understand, measure, and assess culture contribution at multiple levels. We see great power in the combination of our two businesses,” he said.
ZRG, founded in 1999, is a progressive mid-sized global executive search firm. With the financial backing of private equity investor RFE Investment Partners, ZRG is among the fastest growing firms in the search industry. It provides a full suite of executive, middle-management, and customized search solutions through its offices in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. The firm finds leaders across a broad spectrum of business markets, including aerospace, consumer, education, healthcare services and solutions, industrial, life sciences, non-profit, private equity and venture capital, and technology.
Related: ZRG Partners Names Chief Commercial Officer
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
