September 26, 2023 – Executive Search Company. Odgers Berndtson is investing in growing its technology practice while focusing on its investor-backed scale-up offering, Scale Up Collective. The company recently announced that the team will be headed by David Bell. He is joined by Sam Smith, who brings more than a decade of executive search experience to the firm. “Despite turmoil in technology markets around the world and challenging economic conditions, Odgers Berndtson is now investing to strengthen its position as a world-class executive search and talent advisory firm,” the company said.
Mr. Bell has 15 years of executive leadership experience, the last eight of which have been in private equity, venture capital and founder-led technology companies. Mr Smith joins Odgers Berndtson from a leading boutique firm specializing in the European B2B SaaS ecosystem. There, he supported public and venture/private capital-backed businesses in building their leadership teams.
“Working with investor-backed scale-up technology businesses is something I am passionate about, and Odgers Berndtson’s commitment to accelerating this aspect of their business with the Scale Up Collective was a very exciting prospect for me,” said Mr. Bell. “Given the heritage and excellence of the Odgers Berndtson brand, and the breadth of service offerings they provide to clients, the decision to join was an easy one.”
“The opportunity to help grow Scale Up Collective is exciting,” said Mr. Smith. “This is a unique opportunity to combine our experience and knowledge of the trials and tribulations of the journey to investor-backed scale with the breadth and depth of a leading UK executive search business. The chance to combine these two elements and play a part in it was too good to pass up, and I think this combination will add enormous value to our current and future clients.”
Powerful offer
Odgers Berndtson has significant experience helping investor-backed businesses attract executive talent to take them to the next stage of their development. Scale Up Collective recruits for venture capital and private equity firm portfolios, providing leadership assessments, talent mapping, and executive searches. Combined with Berwick Partners’ interim management and middle management recruiting expertise, this represents what the firm believes is a powerful and compelling value proposition for clients.
“Scale Up Collective works across the entire deal flow for investors and investor-backed businesses and has a track record of helping the world’s best venture capital and private equity firms,” the company said. “Odgers Berndtson’s goal is to become the business investors and portfolio companies that talent acquisition professionals rely on at every stage of their investment cycle. Despite market turbulence, Odgers Berndtson continues to provide expert services to growing investor-backed companies seeking outstanding senior management.”
“In my first few months here, we have been working collaboratively with our colleagues in life sciences and industry to serve a variety of medical and deep technology businesses through changes in their leadership,” Mr. Bell said. “The relevant sector experience at Odgers Berndtson is phenomenal and it is a pleasure to work with such exciting clients to accelerate their growth.”
“Within the investor-backed community, all signs point to a busy 2024 due to the dry powder that has accumulated over the last 18 months,” Mr Smith said. “Odgers Berndtson is well positioned to advise clients during this period with its exceptional technology and IT practices.”
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Mike Drew, who heads the firm’s global technology and IT services practice, said the investment in the UK practice mirrored what the firm was doing in the US. businesses led by investors who continue to invest in their value creation plan,” he said. “We are confident that the entire technology sector will recover next year, and the technology practice and Scale Up Collective are well positioned to respond to customer demand when that happens.”
New leader
This spring, Odgers Berndtson named Cannon Kincaid as the new CEO of its U.S. business, succeeding Steve Potter, who has held the position for the past 12 years. Mr. Pottier, who will remain an active member of the board of directors, helped the company achieve a No. 12 ranking on Hunt Scanlon’s Top 50 Recruiters in the United States. as his successor,” said Odgers Berndtson. “They worked closely together for five years as chief operating officer and general manager in preparation for this transition.”
“We are excited about the future of Odgers Berndtson in the US and believe that with Cannon’s smooth transition as CEO and Steve as an active member of the board, we have the leadership that will take our firm to even greater heights as one of the world’s best executive search companies. firms in the world,” said Kester Scroup, Group CEO of Odgers Berndtson.
Mr. Kincaid spent the last four years as Chief Operating Officer of Odgers Berndtson in the United States, where he oversaw people, processes and operations. He serves on the firm’s board of directors as well as its global advisory board. Before joining Odgers, Mr. Kincaid worked as a diplomat promoting the interests of the United States and its allies in Europe, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. He subsequently joined Rocket Lab, a leading aerospace company and launch services provider, where he founded and led international business development, security operations and government relations.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsanski, Editor-in-Chief; and Steven Savitsky, Managing Editor of Hunt Scanlon Media