Heidrick & Struggles: Too Aware To Fail
A heightened self-awareness of blind spots combined with the courage to combat the flaws will make a leader and their organization. A lack will break them.
Terry D. Thornley and Yanqing Sui Awarded for Excellence in the Profession
Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants Excellence Award presented to Spencer Stuart General Counsel, APAC, and Assistant General Counsel The Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) honored Terry D. Thornley, Spencer Stuart General Counsel, APAC, and Yanqing Sui “Sui”, Spencer Stuart Assistant General Counsel, with the AESC Award of Excellence for their outstanding impact on the profession. Over the last few years, Terry and Sui have been integral in charting AESC’s approach to helping members comply with China’s data protection laws, reinforcing their commitment to AESC’s highest professional standards. Terry and Sui’s collaborative partnership with AESC led to the creation of the "AESC Guidance on Chinese Personal Information Protection Law"—a vital document that serves as a foundation for understanding and complying with China's complex data protection laws within the executive search industry. The document thoroughly addresses the nuances of the Personal Information Protection Law, emphasizing individual rights, stringent personal information processing standards, and outlining explicit consent requirements. Terry and Sui worked with the AESC to continuously refine the guidance from the initial draft in 2021 to its final publication in 2024, as the laws, regulations, and interpretations evolved. Their work notably impacted the executive search and leadership consulting [...]
Louisa Wong Recognized for Community Contributions
Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants Commitment to the Community Award presented to Global Sage Executive Chairman The Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) recognized Louisa Wong, Executive Chairman of Global Sage, with the AESC Commitment to the Community Award for her high-impact service. Over the course of her nearly 40-year career in the executive search and leadership consulting profession, Louisa has continued to have a profound impact on the Hong Kong community and beyond. In response to the devastating Sichuan earthquake in 2008, Louisa established Giving Hand, a non-profit organization that facilitates the donations of major international corporations and retailers, by helping them "donate" their unsold goods to people in need through charitable organizations in Greater China. Since its establishment, Giving Hand has facilitated the donation of: 14,728 backpacks worth USD400,000 by REI, the recreational equipment manufacturer, to the Sichuan Charity Federation in 2009. They were delivered to schools in six locations within the earthquake zone. 60,000 electronic items by Chinese electronics manufacturer TCL. The nonprofit worked with the Red Cross Society of Sichuan province to assist in rebuilding earthquake-affected regions. 1,000-plus pairs of shoes and various sports apparel to the Chengdu Disabled Charity Federation. Today, this [...]
David Evans Honored for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Impact
Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants IDEA Award presented to Watermark Search International Managing Partner The Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC) recognized David Evans, Watermark Search International Managing Partner, with the AESC IDEA Award for his commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA). Over his career in executive search and leadership consulting, David has remained steadfast in his dedication to the principles of IDEA. David has developed and released the annual Watermark Search International Board Diversity Index, which has been published for ten years. It reports on progress towards diversity and inclusion on the boards of ASX300 listed companies, and inspires both reflection and action by Australia’s corporate Boards. This report is the only comprehensive analysis of Australian boards that measures diversity well beyond the conventional dimension of gender. It puts five types of diversity in the ASX300 under the microscope, including Gender, Cultural Background, Skills/Experience, Age, Tenure, and Independence. For the last two years, the report has also analysed First Nations, LGBTQ+, Disability, and Socioeconomic Background. By examining more types of diversity each year, it encourages boards and organisations to embrace diversity in all of its types and to include all people. “What sets the [...]
Hogan Assessments: How to Develop High-Potential Employees
Identifying and developing high-potential employees is crucial for organizational leadership succession. However, creating an effective high-potential program requires significant resources and strategic planning.
Hogan Assessments: Why Equity Matters to Diversity and Inclusion Efforts
SHRM’s Shift in Approach to Inclusion and Diversity: A Missed Opportunity for Equity
In July 2024, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) announced a controversial change in its inclusion and diversity approach, choosing to remove "equity" from its focus
Hogan Assessments: Getting Assessment Advice from ChatGPT
AI tools like ChatGPT offer significant advantages in various tasks, from drafting documents to summarizing information. However, their advice, particularly for assessments, should be approached with caution, as seen in a case where AI guidance led to unfavorable outcomes in a high-stakes personality assessment.
7 Reasons to Choose an AESC Member Firm
The cost of a bad hire is high. Not only can a bad hire cost your organization hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation packages and duplicated recruiting investments, it can also shake the confidence of shareholders, create instability in customer or client relationships and diminish employee morale. Working with a member of the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC), the global standard-setting association of the executive search and leadership consulting profession, can substantially reduce the risk of a bad hire and improve your chances for attracting and retaining top executive talent. Here’s why working with AESC member firms can minimize risk and boost your hiring success: 1. AESC Members Are Vetted to Rigorous Quality Standards. The AESC Professional Practice Standards are aligned with the Code of Professional Conduct (our shared values) and provide a framework for how members conduct their business. Firms who would join AESC are carefully evaluated to ensure they meet or exceed these standards as part of admission to the association. The vetting process also includes an evaluation of firm processes, client reference checks and a review of any legal actions that could implicate the firm in ethical breaches. Every AESC member firm has [...]
Signium Expands Presence to France with New Managing Partners
Signium is proud to announce three new partners in France. The esteemed professionals from Paris-based executive search firms will serve as Managing Partners at Signium France. The new partners include Pascal Moreau-Luchaire, Managing Director of PG&C Consulting, Alexandre Trotto, Director at Hajime RH, and François Barbier, Founder of FB Consulting. The timing of this expansion comes at a pivotal moment for business in France, particularly following the Paris Olympics and amid a period of political uncertainty. Francois Barbier comments on the current climate: “For now, much of France’s economy has slowed down because of the Olympics and politics. It’s hard to predict when the winds of business will blow again.” Pascal Moreau-Luchaire concurs that French organizations are waiting with bated breath on the election of the next government, before making major executive placement decisions: “We expect these challenges to persist until the end of the year, but it depends on the government and how quickly economic activities can recover. People will have to invest eventually, but it’s difficult to say when.” Despite the challenges, Alexandre Trotto remains optimistic about the future: “I believe that the hardest season is behind us. Business is flourishing across the world, and it will flourish in France again – [...]
Slayton Search Partners: Building High-Performance Insurance Leadership Teams
Effective executives must demonstrate collaborative strengths to contribute to an organization’s continuous adaptivity and growth.
