Here are several representative Case Studies detailing the methodology behind the positive results we have delivered for our clients by enabling them to add outstanding executives to their leadership teams.
Over the course of eighteen months, JB Homer Associates was retained by five banks within the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) national wholesale banking system to help them find their Chief Information Officers. The mission of these institutions is to provide low cost funding and liquidity to the financial services members within their respective local communities. Even though the five Banks were members of the same system, each Bank possessed its own unique culture, Board, executive leadership team and information technology organization. In addition, each Bank was located in a different part of the U.S. (Des Moines, Topeka, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Boston), and needed to find a Chief Information Officer who could comfortably assimilate into the local community and share in the Bank’s mission.
Our challenges were all quite different in their expectations and needs: In some cases there was a need for Chief Information Officers with large program and project management experience who had successfully turned around faltering or failing initiatives. In other instances, the Chief Information Officer would be joining an organization that needed to update its technology in a highly cost effective manner. In addition, some were part of their Chief Executive Officer’s succession planning.
In all of the Banks, the Chief Information Officers would need the emotional intelligence necessary to create productive relationships with their Banks’ regulators and auditors as well as the executive leadership teams and have the ability to present to their respective Boards. The overall parameters of each search were to find candidates who were capable of assessing the technology organization, serving as the thought leader and subject matter expert to the business, providing the technology team with leadership, and creating and executing a technology roadmap.
After considering several firms our clients retained JB Homer Associates to conduct these searches based upon our previous record of accomplishments and, of equal importance, the leaderships’ belief that we sincerely shared their commitment to the Banks’ profoundly important mission. Even though we had been recommended for each succeeding engagement, the leadership teams at each Bank needed to believe that JB Homer would not apply a ‘one size fits all’ strategy to the searches.
To gain a better understanding of each position’s challenges as well as the unique needs of each Bank, the President of our firm, accompanied by a JB Homer Associates Account Manager, conducted an extensive series of in person discussions with the Chief Executive Officers, key members of the leadership teams and the technology teams to gain their insights into the positions as well as to enhance our understanding of each Bank’s unique culture and challenges.
To source viable candidates for these engagements we began by contacting our extensive network of relationships in the financial and technology communities to reach technology leaders with banking and mortgage industry experience and then expanded our search to include technology leaders from a wide array of financial services companies, all the while adding to our contacts through the services of our research team. The list of potential candidates who were contacted and assessed by phone, Skype and in person interviews numbered in the hundreds.
During in person presentations we introduced short lists of between five to eight candidates to the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Leadership Teams of each Bank. We presented candidates who worked for a diverse group of financial services companies that included global and domestic commercial banks, retail and wholesale mortgage lenders and originators, broker-dealers, insurers, and financial services product companies. Each Executive Leadership Team reviewed the candidates’ backgrounds as well as our written assessments and insights of the candidates' respective strengths and weaknesses for the roles in question. The clients then chose four to five candidates for several rounds of interviews with the key business, technology, operations and human resources leadership partners.
After the final round of interviews – which included community tours for the finalist candidates' spouses – each Bank selected a candidate who best fit the unique challenges and culture of the individual organization and local community.
Once the candidates begin their employment with our clients we continue monitoring them with follow up calls that continue for a minimum of one year. We conduct conversations with the candidates, the executives to whom they report and the Human Resources partners to ensure a successful transition to the new organizations.
Our client, one of the leading national specialty retailers of apparel for women and tween girls, needed to hire their SVP/CIO to lead an enterprise-wide technology transformation in order to build a new shared services technology environment for its retail brands through the migration, integration, consolidation and reengineering of the legacy and acquired portfolio of technology applications onto a stable, common platform in a strategic, cost-effective manner. The CIO as a Direct Report of the Chief Operating Officer would serve as a key member of the company's executive leadership team and support the growth of the company by being a key contributor to the enterprise-wide technology roadmap and acting as a trusted advisor to the business on how best to leverage the value of technology investments in order to increase the company's competitive retail edge while calculating and minimizing business risk.
Our challenge was to identify and recruit an IT leader with the vision, strategic and tactical experience to partner with the Chief Operating Officer, the Brand Presidents and key brand stakeholders to assess the long-term enterprise-wide information needs of the business and develop the overall strategy for future systems development and the seamless integration of future acquisitions.
After considering several firms our client retained JB Homer Associates to conduct their search based upon our prior working relationship with the Chief Operating Officer, and proposed action plan for the search.
The parameters of the search were to find candidates who were capable of creating, delivering and supporting an overarching business strategy and enterprise-wide technology roadmap in support of a large scale business and IT transformation to a shared service operating model across all legacy and future brands.
Due to the client's exposure in technology, and at their request, we sourced a short list of potential candidates for the Interim CIO position and successfully placed this person at the onset of the search process for the permanent CIO.
To gain a better understanding of the challenges of the position, the President of our firm and our Account Manager for this search conducted several in person and telephone discussions with the Chief Operating Officer, the VP of Human Resources for IT, as well as the Interim Chief Information Officer in order to gain their insights into the position as well as expanding our understanding of the attractions and challenges of recruiting candidates to the Midwest.
To source viable candidates for this search we began by sourcing candidates from direct competitors within our client's niche in the specialty retail apparel industry, evaluated potential candidates that came to us through direct referrals from the client; and through our own extensive research identified and contacted the CIOs who had deep business integration experience in large multi-brand, multi-division, multi-geographic, and multi-cultural organizations. We expanded the search to also include IT executives from the pharmaceutical, manufacturing and distribution industries who would bring their experience in working with shared services and business integration initiatives to the position. The list of potential candidates contacted and assessed by phone, Skype, and through in person interviews numbered in the hundreds.
We presented a first short list of six candidates to the Chief Operating Officer and the VP of Human Resources for IT for their consideration. The short list candidates encompassed CIOs of top multi-national retail, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and business services organizations. After reviewing the backgrounds and our recommendations on the candidates, our client narrowed their choice to three potential candidates whom they felt confident possessed the desired experience, management style, and cultural fit to be successful in the role. These finalists were then invited to visit the client for several rounds of interviews with the business leadership as well as the key brand stakeholders.
Concurrent to this process, at the client's request we presented a second short list of two candidates whose CIO experience encompassed the global medical device manufacturing and music publishing industries. The client narrowed their choice to one potential candidate who was then invited to visit for the same number and level of interviews as the three finalists from the first short list presentation. At the conclusion of these interviews the client moved this potential candidate forward along with a candidate from the first short list.
At the end of the final round of interviews, and after an extensive testing process the client selected a candidate who was a CIO out of industry and global manufacturing instead of out of the specialty retail environment because of the candidate's strong track record of success with business integration and delivering global shared services solutions. The candidate of choice also shared a personal and management style and would adapt quickly into the company culture.
The client told us that this was a challenging decision for them to make because they considered both finalists for the position to be so outstanding. Each of them were highly successful and well regarded IT leaders with global experience, outstanding credentials, strong references, and the personal fit they were looking for.
Following this placement the new CIO retained JB Homer to recruit a significant portion of his senior brand IT leadership team. After successfully placing this team, the CIO commented that JB Homer not only hit a home run but hit a grand slam which will give the client company an even greater competitive advantage as they continue to move forward as a world-class specialty apparel organization.
Our client, one of the nation's largest and most respected asset management companies, needed to hire their first ever SVP, Enterprise Business Transformation Office (EBTO) executive responsible for the company's overarching technical vision and for creating and maintaining the target state technology roadmap to serve as the foundation for the enterprise-wide transformation plan, and the catalyst in driving harmonized technology and change management solutions across the enterprise. The EBTO executive as a Direct Report of the EVP of Technology and Operations would partner with and complement the members of the business, technology and operations leadership teams to provide critical thought leadership, innovation, and forward-looking direction for the company across all the company's lines of business. The EBTO executive would also build relationships with key internal clients, develop an understanding of their business objectives, act as an evangelist for the solutions being offered, champion efforts to increase the impact and relevance of technology, and help maximize the return on technology investments.
Our challenge was to identify and recruit a leader with strong financial, technical and business acumen experience to quickly build relationships & credibility and partner with the members of the business, technology and operations leadership to define opportunities to use technology as an enabler for the growth and performance of the company.
After considering several firms our client retained JB Homer Associates to conduct their search based upon our prior successful placements within the technology organization, and proposed action plan for the search.
The parameters of the search were to find candidates in financial services who were capable of creating, implementing, and evangelizing an enterprise-wide transformational and strategic vision and establishment of technology standards and processes in order to facilitate change management, as well as experience with developing and maintaining enterprise Data Quality & Governance and Data Stewardship programs.
To gain a better understanding of the challenges of the position, the President of our firm and our Account Manager for this search conducted several in person and telephone discussions with the EVP of Technology and Operations, the Head of Talent Acquisition, as well as key business, technology and operations stakeholders in order to gain their insights into the position as well as expanding our understanding of the attractions and challenges of recruiting candidates for this newly-created hybrid position.
To source viable candidates for this search we began by sourcing candidates from financial services within our client's niche in the asset management industry, evaluated potential candidates that came to us through direct referrals from the client; and through our own extensive research identified and contacted executives who had deep experience in the creation, implementation, and evangelization of an enterprise-wide transformational and strategic vision. The list of potential candidates contacted and assessed by phone, Skype, and through in person interviews numbered in the hundreds.
We presented a short list of five candidates to the EVP of Technology and Operations and the Head of Talent Acquisition for their consideration. The short list candidates encompassed CIOs, CTOs, and Heads of Technology for large financial services organizations. After reviewing the backgrounds and our recommendations on the candidates, our client narrowed their choice to four potential candidates whom they felt confident possessed the desired experience, management style, and cultural fit to be successful in the role. These finalists were then invited to visit the client for several rounds of interviews with the key business, technology, operations and talent acquisition leadership.
At the end of the final round of interviews, the client selected a candidate whose experience included Global Head of IT for a global investment management firm and Managing Director/Principal Consultant for a Big 4 consulting firm because of the candidate's strong track record of success with creating and implementing large-scale, enterprise-wide transformation programs and change management. The candidate of choice also shared a personal and management style that would adapt quickly into the company culture.
The client told us that this was a challenging decision for them to make because the position was newly-created for this person and a hybrid role across the entire organization. The candidate of choice had a track record of being a highly successful and well regarded IT leader with global transformational experience, outstanding credentials, strong references, and the personal fit they were looking for.
Our client, one of the leading centers for interdisciplinary teaching and research in the Middle East, needed to hire their first VPIT/CIO to create and implement a unified vision for IT for the University and for its Medical Center. The CIO as a Direct Report of the President of the University serves as a member of the President's Cabinet and acts as the primary advisor on the value of IT solutions to the Board of Trustees and the President's Cabinet.
Our challenge was to source an IT leader with the vision, strategic and tactical experience to partner with the President of the University, the Provost, the VP for Finance, the VP for Medical Affairs and the other members of the President's Cabinet to ensure that the technology solutions and the technology organization could enable both institutions to expand their contribution to the academic and healthcare communities of the Middle East, and also enable both institutions to maintain their accreditations with US professional accreditation bodies.
The parameters of the search were to find candidates capable of creating, delivering and supporting a unified vision for IT for the University and its Medical Center, able to build consensus among the leadership, faculty and staff at both institutions and who could thrive in the Middle Eastern culture.
To gain a better understanding of the challenges of the position and the needs of the University and Medical Center, the President of our firm and our Account Manager for this search spent a week on campus visiting with the President, Provost, Search Committee members, and gaining their insights into the position and expanding our understanding of the attractions and challenges of recruiting candidates to this part of the world.
To source viable candidates for this search we advertised the position on a global basis in the top academic publications and forums, evaluated potential candidates identified through direct referrals from the University and Medical Center's members; and through our own extensive research identified and contacted the CIOs of every top university and college in the United States, Canada and the Middle East. We expanded the search to include IT executives from the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries who could bring their experience in working with ERP and mission critical business systems to the position.
We presented a short list of 22 candidates to the President and Provost of the University for their consideration that varied from CIOs of top US, Canadian and Middle Eastern universities and colleges to the CIOs of top pharmaceutical companies to the IT Directors of Medical Centers in the Middle East. After reviewing the backgrounds and our recommendations on the candidates, our clients narrowed their choices to 6 potential candidates. The President, Provost, and the VP for Finance flew into New York, met with the candidates, and then narrowed the field to 3 finalists who were then invited to the campus for final round interviews and to immerse themselves in the local culture to determine if they would in actuality be able to relocate themselves and their families to the Middle East in order to accept the position.
The candidate of choice was a CIO out of industry and healthcare selected based on the candidate's strong track record for delivering IT transformation and ERP solutions who had a Middle Eastern heritage, was multi-lingual, and could adapt quickly to the local culture.
The clients told us that this was a challenging decision for them to make because they considered all three finalists for the position to be so outstanding possessing all the success factors they were looking for.
It is a tribute to the leadership of the University and Medical Center and offers a positive role model for other distinguished institutions in the region as well as their own co-ed faculty and staff that in determining the best candidate for the position they selected a woman candidate for this key role on their leadership team.
Our client, a leading global media company with worldwide billings of over $10 billion, was looking for a Chief Information Officer, reporting directly to the Chairman, to lead the development and delivery of the most competitive technology available.
An outstanding track record in successfully implementing systems development projects and experience in the media or entertainment industries were required.
But solid communication skills were also a must: The new CIO would need to effectively partner with the Chairman's two direct reports, the Chief Strategic Officer and the Chief Negotiating Officer, to jointly develop business strategies and select the appropriate technologies for implementation.
The client turned to JB Homer because of a search we had just completed for the SVP, CIO for its parent global advertising agency. We drew on our proprietary data bases, network of contacts and extensive internal research to identify potential candidates from media, consumer products and e-commerce companies.
We presented a short list of five top executives within five weeks of beginning the search. The winning candidate, a woman out of a global entertainment company, had in-depth technology experience and was a strong communicator, with the ability to effectively deal with a loosely matrixed group of senior business executives.
Over the next four years, she worked on all aspects of competitive technology for the company, including major acquisition integration and an expanded external consulting capability so clients could take full advantage of the new systems offered.
Our client, a Fortune 500 global diversified financial services provider, needed a Program Delivery Executive to revamp the infrastructure supporting its core business. This was a multi-year, $100MM+ initiative - requiring a proven executive who could break the project down into manageable components, lead the internal and external resources, effectively sell the complex concepts to senior management and key internal user groups and deliver the initiative on time and within budget.
In the past, the client had gone outside only for very strategic hires, but now they needed an agent of change - someone who was tactical and an experienced implementer, who could mentor other key executives and who had the vision to change the company's future delivery model for all large IT initiatives.
Through our past work for the company, the client was confident that we had a thorough understanding not only of the urgency of the search, but the value of this executive to the future success of the firm.
In identifying candidates with the right skills and experience, we focused not just on the financial services industry but broadened the search to other industries known for large-scale implementations.
The winning candidate, who had just completed a similar initiative for a major telecommunications company ahead of schedule and significantly under budget, had in the process created and institutionalized a methodology for large-scale project implementation that could be adapted to any industry. Although faced with several other offers and a promotion at his present company, he was intrigued by the prospect of being directly involved in transforming the delivery model for all future significant projects for our client.
One year into the initiative, the company has indicated that it has never had a better-run project - and has subsequently recommended JB Homer to other potential clients.
