ZRG Partners Expands Global Aerospace, Defense & Government Services Practice Group

January 8, 2024 – ZRG Partners has expanded with the addition of Patrick Gray as managing partner. In this role, he will oversee the global aerospace, defense & government services practice group. “Patrick’s wealth of experience, strategic vision, and commitment to excellence align seamlessly with our mission to deliver critical talent solutions to our clients, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the ZRG team,” said Larry Hartmann, CEO of ZRG. “His leadership will contribute significantly to the growth and success of our global aerospace, defense & government services practice.”
“Partnering with Phoebe Henderson, Kiel Towns, and the rest of our talented managing directors, principals, and associates, Patrick will strengthen our team,” said Samantha Foster, ZRG’s global industrial practice leader. “I know that the aerospace, defense & government services practice is in good hands.”
With a career spanning the military, investment, intelligence, and technology sectors, Mr. Gray brings over 20 years of executive search experience to ZRG. He formerly served as a U.S. army intelligence officer, undertaking assignments across the globe. He would later transition to the business world, co-founding and managing an investment company, providing consultancy services to an intelligence agency, and contributing to corporate development in the technology sector. Mr. Gray began his executive recruiting career at Korn Ferry and subsequently managed the aerospace, defense & government services practices at Heidrick & Struggles and two boutique firms. He has supported Fortune 1000 companies and led private equity firms through board and C-suite leadership changes.
“ZRG is a dynamic organization with supportive owners and a global footprint poised for tremendous growth,” said Mr. Gray. “The firm’s innovative search tools and process demonstrate its commitment to excellence and ensure our clients receive the data and insights for decision-making. I’m excited to contribute to a team where practice leaders are successful industry leaders. Together, we will drive impactful results for our clients.”
Related: ZRG Acquires Interim Education-Focused Search Provider The Registry
ZRG, founded in 1999, is a mid-sized global executive search firm and one of the fastest growing 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.
ZRG Partners’ Swift and Strategic Road to Expansion
Larry Hartmann is a seasoned veteran of the people business. As the chief executive of ZRG, he leads one of the fastest growing, global talent management hubs in the human capital sector. It wasn’t always this way. Mr. Hartmann founded ZRG 24 years ago on the core principle of building a better recruiting platform. Simple enough. Today, that vision has extended to a $230 million data-driven suite of talent and consulting offerings, including culture transformation, leadership assessment, executive coaching, strategic communications, RPO, and interim solutions. The firm is a perennial leader in Hunt Scanlon Media’s Top 10 rankings.
ZRG’s expansion effort, according to rivals, has been swift and strategic. Less than a year ago, ZRG secured a secondary equity investment from a consortium of new and existing institutional investors led by Timber Bay Partners. It has used that capital and an expanded credit facility to continue an acquisition journey that has produced 11 deals over the past four years.
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. ZRG is based in Rochelle Park, NJ. The firm is backed by private equity firm RFE Investment Partners.
New Office
ZRG Partners has expanded with the addition of a new office in Mexico City. The office is led by managing director Pablo Perella-Berdun and senior advisor Hugo Lara. “The new office of ZRG Partners Mexico SRL de CV is positioned to deliver their tech-enabled analytic suite of talent management solutions to clients with operations in this very important market,” the search firm said. “Mexico is the biggest trading partner of the United States,” said Nate Frank, president of ZRG executive search division. “As of July 2023, Mexico was the source of 15 percent of U.S. imports, compared to 14.6 percent from China, and comprises a growing share of U.S. imports in many manufacturing sectors where ZRG has strong relationships, such as the automotive, machinery, and medical devices industries. Mexico’s own market expansion has also been driving growing demand for our financial, professional services & technology, and education practices.”
Mr. Perella-Berdun has five years in executive search and talent development in Mexico and previously enjoyed a 27-year corporate career in consumer, medical device, hygiene & safety products, and specialty chemicals, including Kimberly-Clark where he led local, regional, and global roles for over 20 years. Prior to joining ZRG, Mr. Lara was a senior client partner, industrial and advisory leader, as well as the office managing director at Korn Ferry.
Related: ZRG Acquires Interim Education-Focused Search Provider The Registry
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media