Ward Howell Appoints Global Marketing Practice Leader
October 27, 2016 – Executive search firm Ward Howell International has named Henry ‘Hank’ J. Flores as a partner and global practice leader based out of the firm’s Boston office.
Mr. Flores will co-lead Ward Howell’s consumer packaged goods practice for the Americas and head its global marketing leadership practice. With more than 20 years of executive search and senior leadership experience, he and a designated team will deliver executive search and leadership advisory services in the consumer, life sciences and technology & communications space.
Mr. Flores previously co-founded executive search firm Radius Partners and before that was a managing principal with Consilium Partners. His primary focus has been on assignments for senior leaders who serve as pivotal catalysts for driving growth, usually for privately-held, middle-market and early-stage companies. Clients also include Fortune 500 companies who are looking for a more collaborative, partner-led search experience, according to Mr. Flores.
Prior to starting his career in search, Mr. Flores held leadership roles, including CEO and COO, with several early-stage and middle-market companies. Earlier, he led key marketing and sales organizations for a number of global Fortune 500 companies including Polaroid, Verizon, Procter & Gamble, and IBM.
A Profoundly Changing Market
“Marketing has evolved from when I was with P&G. Back then, we had little purchase data to analyze, communications vehicles were limited, and distribution channels were narrower,” said Mr. Flores. “The job of strategic marketer back then was to determine consumer’s needs based on qualitative and quantitative primary and secondary research, build a launch / continuity plan based on test markets and focus groups, and allocate advertising and promotion dollars over a relatively narrow sub-set of choices.”
Today, he said, e-commerce, social media and big data are profoundly changing the way marketers launch and support brands, engage consumers, and analyze performance. “These trends will continue as technology-enabled engagement modes evolve and continue to fragment consumers, Mr. Flores said.
When discussing the prospects for talent in this sector over the next five to 10 years, Mr. Flores said that marketing at its best has been, and will continue to be, a strategic endeavor. “Talented marketing leaders, particularly with an affinity for data, are in high demand,” he said. “Social media and big data have gotten a lot of attention in the past few years and anyone in a senior marketing position will need to understand how to best extract insights from ever-increasing data sources and leverage all available (and growing) distribution and communication channels.”
Importantly, though, marketers will need to continue adapting in an ever-evolving technology landscape,” he noted. “The challenges, opportunities, and complexities in marketing will only continue to increase, creating opportunities for strong marketing leaders to have a significant impact in, and on, their organizations.”
Unique Perspective
“We are delighted to welcome Hank as a key member of our North American leadership team,” said Asad Haider, president Americas and member of the global board at Ward Howell. “The combination of Hank’s executive search experience and his distinguished corporate career with the likes of P&G, IBM and Polaroid, gives him a unique industry perspective on recruiting leaders within consumer, technology and life sciences verticals. I am confident that Ward Howell’s clients will be very pleased with the added perspective that Hank brings to the team.”
Ward Howell has been bolstering its search staff in recent months. A few weeks ago, the firm appointed Theodore ‘Ted’ Petrara as partner and global leader in its insurance and alternative investments practice group. He is based in the firm’s New York office. Mr. Petrara’s team delivers executive search and leadership advisory services to insurers, reinsurers, hedge funds, and other originators and investors in the alternative risk transfer space.
Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media
