What Are the Top 2022 Insights and Trends in Executive Search?

Check out the top 5 executive search insights and trending topics of 2022 in our ON community

Connect With ON

---

Wondering what the top executive search insights and trending topics were in 2022? Of the dozens of articles we’ve posted and shared over the past year with our ON community of executive leaders, the following five pieces stand out as the most read of 2022.

Beyond those critical macroeconomic issues experienced across organizations this year, articles that were most widely read focused on the rapidly changing profile of key executive roles, the demand for more diversity in the tech sector, and the evolution of the operating partner role in private equity.

Below are our top 5 topics along with summaries and links to each article.

 

#1: The Rise of the Operating Partner Role in Private Equity

 

ON Partners sponsored a live interactive webinar, in collaboration with Hunt Scanlon Media, discussing the rise of the operating partner in private equity with Anna Tye from Carlyle, Ed Richards from Marlin Equity Partners, Steven Berman from Accel-KKR, and Ryan Greene from Francisco Partners. The session was moderated by Tindall Hein and Jeff Hocking from ON Partners.

The webinar examined how PE firms are viewing the importance of the Operating Partner role, how it has shifted over the years and the impact the role has on portfolio companies’ success.

#2: The NEXT Series: Evolving Profiles of Executive Roles

 

Virtually every organization has had to evolve its leadership structure to accommodate the demand and evolution of executive roles including supply chain, adding an ESG component, marketing, and sales, to name a few.

ON researched the various consulting assignments we’ve taken on these past few years to summarize the evolution of specific executive roles and the attributes and experience required to take on a leadership position in this ever-changing business environment.

Want to check out the NEXT Series and learn how these roles have evolved?

• Volume 1: The Evolving Profile of the Supply Chain Leader
• Volume 2: The Evolution of the Chief Revenue Officer (CRO)
• Volume 3: Leaders Shaping ESG and its Future
• Volume 4: The NEXT Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

#3. How to Increase Diverse Executive Hires in Tech?

 

While many executive search firms proudly tout their diversity practices, partner Jeff Hocking points out that all ON Partners searches are diverse searches. Jeff has made a priority of increasing the number of diverse executives in leadership positions, with more than 70% of his 2021 search assignments resulting in diverse executive placements.

With a focus on placing senior executives in the notoriously white male-dominated technology sector, Jeff understands the challenges associated with placing diverse candidates – and how to overcome them.

Read more on Jeff’s findings on how to increase diverse executive hires in the tech sector and check out our DEI in the ON community resources.

 

#4. How Have Boards Developed in 2022?

 

Shawn Oglesbee, partner at ON Partners, discusses developments in corporate board rooms with the Board Leadership Journal as organizations look to move beyond the current challenges facing them.

The past year has seen one of the most volatile business environments in memory. Political, social, economic, health, and regulatory factors combined to form the perfect storm, creating a turbulent path for boards and those in the C-suite to navigate.

As a result, bringing together the right executive leadership team to unlock a brand’s potential has never been more critical, especially as the demand for leadership talent has increased moving into 2022. Building a board team with the right mix of experience and perspectives has arguably never been more important to an organization’s success.

Read Board Development in 2022: How the Past Year is Impacting Key Decisions.

 

#5. Why Product Leaders are in High Demand?

 

Competition for senior talent is fiercer than ever, with COVID putting the ability of businesses to effectively solve customer problems front and center. Over the past year, ON Partners consultants have seen a dramatic increase in demand for senior-level product roles across multiple market sectors.

We’ve appointed product leaders at organizations including EarnUp, Epicor, Glassdoor, International Sports Sciences Association, Logitech, Pagaya, and Shapeways, among others.

Whether it be IT, supply chain, banking, or retail, companies across nearly every market sector have had to become more responsive and agile, with the product executive tasked with leading the organization to solve problems. Learn the reasons why product leaders continue to be in high demand.

Check out more topics released from ON Partners to our executive community over the year here.