By Jennifer Chase
For growing life sciences firms, it is critical to have a CEO with the skills and vision to match a particular phase of the firm’s evolution. A CEO that pioneers the science and vision behind a drug, diagnostic or device might not be the right person to orchestrate later clinical stages, major financing, regulatory approval and continued market expansion. Indeed, there are certain CEO archetypes for growing life…
Historically black colleges and universities are fundamental to U.S. higher education. The more than 100 HBCUs were pioneering institutions in their states and regions and have been bastions of opportunity. Recognizing their significance, the federal government has recently increased funding for these schools.
Presidential searches for HBCUs are competitive affairs among candidates who grasp the historical and cultural gravity of the role as well as the academic prestige. Witt/Kieffer senior partner Oliver B. Tomlin, III has led…
By Dennis Barden
When my clients inevitably ask me the state of the market for chief…
“When recruiting chief executives for not-for-profit organizations,” writes Witt/Kieffer’s Julie Rosen, “I pose one key question for each candidate: Are you truly passionate and committed to the organization’s mission and its work?”
Mission alignment is critical, Rosen says. As a not-for-profit CEO, “you will be eating and breathing this work, 24/7.” Beyond this, however, Rosen believes there are several fundamental questions…
It’s lonely and tough at the top of the higher education administrative ladder. College and university presidents have more on their plates, and with greater consequences, than ever before. Many presidents are now turning to leadership coaches for support.
Witt/Kieffer recently conducted an online survey of more than 60 presidents on their experience with and thoughts about leadership coaching. More than half of these had experienced coaching at some point in their…
Witt/Kieffer senior partner Adriane Willig has conducted hundreds of searches for healthcare executives since joining the firm in 2008, meaning that she has conducted thousands of interviews. In a recent webinar, “How to Ace Your Next Executive Interview,” Willig joined other executive recruiting experts on a panel advising thousands of global executives on the topic. The online event was hosted by BlueSteps, the career support…
Like many prominent leaders in healthcare, Dennis W. Pullin, FACHE, has been driven by a desire to help others, which he channels into a clear passion for his work as a chief
executive. Leaders, Pullin believes, don’t have to be perfect as long as they exhibit a genuine, unwavering commitment to peers, patients, and communities and pledge
to learn and grow. Pullin is currently president and CEO of New Jersey-based Virtua Health, a…
When a new college or university president is hired, it is a time of hope and excitement on campus. It can be a time of uncertainty for campus administrators, who must gauge how they will fit in and fare with the new leader. For a variety of reasons, some administrators will find themselves left out of the new administration’s plans – in other words, “off the team” and unemployed.
Witt/Kieffer senior partner Lucy Leske spoke recently with…
Healthcare CEOs and CFOs tend to lose sleep over many of the same issues: shrinking reimbursement, payer uncertainty, and moving the needle on population health, value-based care and consumer engagement and experience. Indeed, according to a recent Advisory Board survey, the primary concerns of CEOs are dominated by finance-related issues. Every healthcare organization, for example, seems eager to boost outpatient access and market share, reduce expenses, control utilization, and investigate new revenue streams.
Healthcare CFOs increasingly possess…
By Christopher L. Neumann
Even experienced executives can stumble during a job search – especially during an initial conversation which typically occurs over the phone. This important stage of the executive recruiting process is a candidate’s first impression to a potential employer. If the employer is represented by an executive recruiting firm, it is critical to remember that the firm has been hired to represent its client. Knowing this, you should treat…