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Executive Search

Transformative Leadership Starts with Finding the Right Leader

Great leadership is the most important investment a company can make, and yet studies show that 40% of executive searches fail, choosing your next C-suite leader is a crucial decision.

At Ellig Group, executive search is more than just our core business. It’s the central hub around which we’ve built an entire ecosystem of experts dedicated to providing our clients with solutions to their problems.

Any executive search firm can run your criteria through a database, pull from prior searches, and churn out a list of candidates who appear suitable on paper.

But we aren't just any firm.

Our decades of combined experience in business and leadership has taught us that safe solutions lead to “good enough” outcomes. And “good enough” is never good enough.

VIDEO

Janice Ellig
Interviewed on
CNBC's Power
Lunch

Gender diverse boardrooms and C-suite
May 23 2018

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Our Priority is YOU

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Ellig Group is a partner-led firm. Every search we conduct is managed by the Practice Leader and CEO, Janice Ellig, from start to finish. Supported by her team of seasoned and talented industry professionals, we deliver a level of white-glove service that is simply unparalleled within the industry.

Our partner-led process means your search will get the attention you need and deserve. Your assignment will never get delegated down to a junior level. You will always feel like our only client – our priority. 

Our Search Expertise

Industries and Sectors We Serve

  • Financial Services
  • Commercial Banking
  • Insurance: Life, Retirement and P&C
  • Wealth Management
  • Investment Management
  • Professional Services & Consulting
  • Private Equity/Venture Capital
  • Healthcare & Life Sciences
  • Industrial & Manufacturing
  • Consumer Products & Services
  • Non-Profit

Functional Roles Across All Sectors

  • Boards
  • C-Suite, General Management
  • Finance: CFOs, Audit, Risk, Operations
  • Investor Relations
  • Human Resources: CHROs, DEI
  • Marketing, Communications/Public Relations
  • General Counsel, Regulatory & Compliance
  • Digital/Technology/Artificial Intelligence
  • Strategy & Business Development
  • Sales / Distribution

Executive search is just the beginning

Leadership transition can be challenging, even when the incoming executive is a perfect fit for his or her new role. We offer a variety of auxiliary services to smooth that transition and ensure success for everyone.

Executive Assessment

A tailored assessment methodology produces data-driven insights into leadership, performance, and culture.

Accelerating Impact

A post-placement strategic “roadmap” to onboard newly-appointed leaders and enhance results. Every search includes 100 days with a certified coach to ensure success.

Executive Coaching

Individual leadership coaching for executives seeking to increase their leadership effectiveness or navigate a transition and team coaching designed to optimize larger groups of leaders and support organizational health.

Leadership Development

Curated programs include team and group facilitation and on/off-site meetings on topics including transformation, teambuilding, resiliency, and communication.

Our Process: Human Driven & Data Powered

We know that experience is more than a CV. Diversity is more than checking a box. Leadership is more than a PowerPoint presentation. Data is the engine, not the driver. 

TALK TO AN EXPERT

Executive search without limits

Ellig Group’s solution to the common problem of off-limits issues is elegant in its simplicity: To best serve our clients by presenting all the best talent, we do not take on competing assignments. When you work with us, you do so with the knowledge that our obligations aren’t limiting your options to meet the very best candidates.

International reach, global footprint

Ellig Group is the New York member firm of a global network of search firms with over 40 offices all over the world. Our network is comprised of independently owned and operated, retained search firms with over 400 search professionals. Partnering with these firms provides us with instant access to talent worldwide, and global talent for your needs, without off-limits issues.

Your success is our agenda.
Fit is our priority.

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What is Market Mapping?

For companies looking to test the waters before committing to a full search, our market mapping service provides a heavily researched overview of the talent landscape within their defined parameters. After identifying executives in similar roles at similar companies, we prepare a presentation of target executive profiles that includes a comparison matrix of skills, experience, and any other information relevant to the role. Subsequently, we schedule a debriefing session within just a few weeks after the engagement has commenced.

TALK TO AN EXPERT

Leadership Insights

Your business transformation starts with a conversation

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Tonie Leatherberry was at Deloitte for nearly three decades where she was the principal architect of The Board Leadership Forum and the NextGen CEO Academy, each of which has had a meaningful impact, ultimately placing more than 70 Black leaders into executive-level and board roles. As Chair Emeritus of the Executive Leadership Council, she created the Chairman’s Council of Academic Achievement to address achievement gaps for students of color in America’s educational systems, and as President of the Deloitte Foundation, the mission was to drive initiatives to develop future leaders through education. She is a passionate leader who has devoted much of her professional life to creating opportunities for women and people of color. Tonie is Lead director for Direct Digital Holdings, and a Board Director at Zoetis Inc. and American Family Insurance.

Cindie Jamison was elected Chair of the Darden Restaurants Board (NYSE: DRI) in September 2023, having served as a Director since October 2014 as part of a complete Board replacement slate through Starboard Value’s proxy fight. Since 2013, she has also served on the Office Depot Board (NASDAQ: ODP) where she Chairs the Audit Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee. In May 2015, she joined the Big Lots, Inc (NYSE: BIG) Board, and became Chair in May 2022. In May 2023 Cindie stepped down from the Tractor Supply Company Board (NASDAQ:TSCO), a position she has held since 2002, where she was Chairman of the Board, after serving as Lead Director, and Chair of the Audit, Compensation & Corporate Governance Committees. Cindie joined the Board of Save the Children in February 2024.

David Chun, Founder and CEO, Equilar, Inc., has led Equilar since its inception to become one of the most trusted names in the corporate governance community. David has been recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential Players in Corporate Governance” by the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), the Disruptor Award by 2020 Women on Boards and Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business. David speaks publicly on corporate governance and board diversity matters, including events hosted by The Conference Board, Deloitte, EY, HR Policy Association, KPMG, NACD, NASDAQ, NYSE, The Society for Corporate Governance and Stanford’s Directors’ College. Prior to founding Equilar, David was a Vice President in the Investment Banking Division of Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette, a global investment bank that has since merged with Credit Suisse. Before DLJ, David was a management consultant with Bain & Company and also Kenan Systems, a telecom software developer acquired by Lucent Technologies. David serves on the boards of the Commonwealth Club of California, PGA Reach, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG). He is on Nasdaq’s Center for Board Excellence Advisory Board and Catalyst’s Women on Board Advisory Council. David is a member of Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO), Past Chair of the SF Bay Chapter, a founding member of the Council of Korean Americans (CKA) and a former board member of the Wharton Center for Entrepreneurship and the Asian Pacific Fund Community Foundation of San Francisco.

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Priscilla Sims Brown serves as President and CEO of Amalgamated Bank, a full-service bank, lender and investment manager with a century-long commitment to advancing positive social change. Amalgamated Financial Corp., the holding company for the Bank, is the first publicly traded (NASDAQ: AMAL) financial institution to be a public benefit corporation. Priscilla guides Amalgamated Bank in championing social responsibility through values-based banking, customer-centric services, and mission focused lending, serving individuals and organizations, including climate groups, foundations, labor unions, advocacy groups, political campaigns, and other socially responsible businesses, who care that their deposits are put to work for good. Priscilla is also dedicated to addressing environmental and social justice issues at Amalgamated Bank. More than 60% of the Bank’s lending and select balance sheet investments are high-impact through affordable housing, nonprofits, and climate solutions. Named one of the Most Powerful Women in Banking in 2023 by American Banker, Priscilla has been featured in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, PBS, and CNBC Changemakers, among others.

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Myra Biblowit is the President Emeritus of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the nation’s highest-rated breast cancer research organization with a mission focused exclusively on funding the world’s most promising research. Myra took the helm as BCRF President in 2001 and, after 22 years, retired in April 2023. During Myra’s tenure, BCRF funding enabled breakthroughs in breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, metastasis, and survivorship. Myra was widely recognized for leading one of the most impactful, financially efficient, and transparent nonprofits in the United States. Prior, Myra was Vice Dean for External Affairs at NYU Medical Center where she headed the Development, Alumni Relations and Public Relations departments. Previously she led the capital campaign as Senior Vice President of the American Museum of Natural History. Earlier, Myra served as Executive Vice President of the Central Park Conservancy. Myra is a member of the Board of Directors of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, the Housewares Charity Foundation and the Historic House Trust of New York City. She is a member of the New York Women’s Forum, the Yellow for Pink National Council, Extraordinary Women on Boards and serves on the Advisory Board of Project Hope for Ovarian Cancer Research & Education.

Truett Tate is Chairman of a number of Boards, including Reference Point, TLC Lions, Thinkably and the recently retired Chairman of QBE, NA. Truett Tate is also Director of the DEVClever board. Truett has a long and esteemed global executive history including most recently as CEO of ANZ USA, Europe, Japan, Korea and the Middle East. Immediately prior, he was Group Executive (and Board member) at Lloyds Banking Group, responsible for Wholesale & International Banking (Including Global Wealth and International Retail) across the United Kingdom, the Americas and worldwide and prior spending 27 years at Citigroup where he held a variety of senior roles including corporate banking business across each of its regional geographies. Truett’s long board history includes Virgin Group, Ten Group, the BITC, BAB Inc along with many other charitable and academic organizations. A speaker, guest lecturer, philanthropist and professional coach/mentor, Truett has seemingly bottomless energy and passionate interest in a safer, more just, more humane and more sustainable world.

Janice Ellig team image

Janice Reals Ellig

Chief Executive Officer

As the head of the Ellig Group, Janice is dedicated to increasing the placement of women and diverse candidates on corporate boards and in C-suites by 2025. Janice joined the legacy firm in 2000 and became Co-Chief Executive Officer in its transition to Chadick Ellig in 2007; she assumed sole ownership of the company as the Ellig Group in 2017 with a new focus on Reimagining Search. Prior to her career in executive search, Janice spent 20 years in corporate America at Pfizer, Citi and Ambac Financial Group, an IPO from Citibank, where she was responsible for Marketing, Human Resources, and Administration.

Heralded by Bloomberg Businessweek as one of “The World’s Most Influential Headhunters,” Janice is often consulted for her expertise and her commitment to gender parity, inclusion, and diversity. She frequently appears at speaking engagements and as a media guest, and she has penned multiple articles for outlets such as Directors & Boards, Directorship, Corporate Director, The Huffington Post, and Forbes.com. Janice also co-authored two books: Driving The Career Highway and What Every Successful Woman Knows, acknowledged by Bloomberg Businessweek as “the best of its genre.”

A tirelessly active member of the industry and champion of her causes, Janice is Founder of the Women’s Forum of New York’s Corporate Board Initiative and its signature event, Breakfast of Corporate Champions. Since 2011, Janice continues to spearhead this event to honor companies committed to board diversity and to encourage CEOs to sponsor board-ready women for the Women’s Forum database. (LINK: www.womensforumny.org).

Janice is personally committed to several NFP organizations: Board Director of the National YMCA and Past Chair of the YMCA Board of Greater New York; Trustee of the Actors Fund and Committee For Economic Development (CED); Incoming Chair, University of Iowa Foundation; Women’s Forum of New York Past President and Chair of the Corporate Board Initiative; member of the Steering Committee, US 30% Club and The Economic Club of New York.

In recognition for her many philanthropic activities, Janice received the University of Iowa Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011 and the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC) Eleanor Raynolds Award for Volunteerism in 2008. Named one of the “21 Leaders for the 21st Century” by Women’s eNews, she was also a recipient of the Channel 21 Award In Excellence for her contribution to “Excellence in the Economic Development for Women.”

“Listening to our clients’ needs, learning their business and understanding their culture is how we present the best talent and provide  a competitive advantage. We place candidates with the character, competencies, commitment, (intellectual) curiosity and courage to make a difference. Our goal is always to go beyond the expected and deliver valuable advice, measurable results and great talent!”

– Janice Reals Ellig

  • Champion of gender parity, diversity, and inclusion
  • Industry expert, speaker, and author
  • Founder of the Women’s Forum of New York’s Corporate Board Initiative
  • Committed board and committee member and philanthropist

T: (212) 688-8671 ext. 226
E: Janice@ElligGroup.com

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