Witt/Kieffer Names Managing Director of Global Operations
January 15, 2019 – Executive recruitment firm Witt/Kieffer has continued its recent expansion with the addition of C.J. Bolster as managing director of global operations.
Based in London, he is responsible for driving the firm’s growth and expansion in international markets.
Mr. Bolster has over 30 years of experience as a highly regarded senior executive in management consulting and executive search, working with governing boards and leadership teams on performance and talent development, executive and board compensation, organizational design and succession planning.
“Witt/Kieffer’s global operations are a key to our firm’s future,” said Andrew Chastain, president and CEO of Witt/Kieffer. “Having a strong, strategic executive like C.J. in this new role will ensure our continued growth in order to provide clients worldwide with executive recruiting and leadership services. C.J. brings unmatched expertise and insight into executive talent and leadership issues that will benefit our entire firm.”
Previously, Mr. Bolster was managing director at Korn Ferry, overseeing operations of advisory services and the integration of Korn Ferry’s acquisition of Hay Group in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Prior to his work in EMEA, he held progressive leadership roles in Hay Group as head of the U.S., head of industries (healthcare, life sciences and retail), and head of healthcare. Prior to that, Mr. Bolster was a senior manager with KPMG Peat Marwick and consultant and director of business development for Medicus Systems Inc. in Chicago.
“I’m excited to be part of Witt/Kieffer’s expansion into the international market,” said Mr. Bolster. “Executive recruiting in our core industries – life sciences, healthcare and education – is increasingly global, and I look forward to supporting our clients’ talent requirements wherever they may be.”
Witt/Kieffer has been an advisor to hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers, physician groups and other healthcare enterprises for more than 45 years. With over 100 expert search professionals nationwide, its consultants recruit CEOs, CFOs, COOs, physician executives and many other leaders.
Expansion
Witt/Kieffer has experienced a wave of growth over the past year. In December, the firm added Inga Walter as managing director to develop its life sciences, healthcare and higher education practices across Europe and the Middle East. Ms. Walter’s expertise spans numerous senior-level searches for global life sciences companies, public and private healthcare organizations as well as higher education institutions. Previously, she was a senior client partner at Korn Ferry.
In October, the firm launched an interim leadership practice and added Brian Krehbiel to head the new offering. The initiative, dubbed Witt/Kieffer Interim Leadership, expands the reach and capabilities of the firm’s healthcare practice in order to address the critical needs of these clients and ensure continuity in executive leadership. Most recently, Mr. Krehbiel was VP with B.E. Smith, where he helped establish and develop the interim search practice and was responsible for business development strategy.
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Witt/Kieffer also added Jennifer Chase as managing director of its life sciences practice. Based in Boston, she will support the recruitment of positions across the life sciences spectrum, with a particular emphasis on emerging biopharmaceutical and medical device and diagnostics firms, as well as established international life science companies.
In addition, Witt/Kieffer acquired its joint venture Witt/Kieffer Ccentric Limited to create Witt/Kieffer International Limited. Serving clients in healthcare, education and the life sciences with their executive recruiting needs, Witt/Kieffer International will be headquartered in London and will have the ability to conduct searches worldwide. The search firm’s president and CEO Andrew P. Chastain will oversee business operations with full support from the Witt/Kieffer executive team and board as well as Witt/Kieffer International general managers Natalie Derry, based in the U.K., and Petra Klerken, based in Hong Kong.
“This move is about better serving global markets in our client industries,” said Mr. Chastain. “It allows us to realize goals that we have had since forming the joint venture and officially expanding our business internationally: to be a truly global executive search firm and to better support our clients in healthcare, education, academic medicine and the life sciences, wherever their executive talent needs may exist.”
Witt/Kieffer recently appointed HR veteran Tiffany Morris as its chief human resources officer. As a member of the senior leadership team, Ms. Morris is charged with supporting the overall achievement of the firm’s goals and managing the life cycle of the employee experience. She was previously a strategic consultant at High Ground, a technology service provider. In this role, she focused on creating value enhancing programs across engagement, talent management, learning and people analytics.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Andrew W. Mitchell, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
