heather – The Alexander Group

Earlier this year, I was privileged to join the National Advisory Board for Life Science Cares.

Life Science Cares provides a platform for life science companies and their employees to make a difference in eradicating poverty. It raises money to award grants to community nonprofits that implement research-based survival, education, and economic sustainability solutions, supercharging these grants with volunteer hours, donated goods, strategic support, and advocacy.

To date, Life Science Cares has awarded more than $9.5 million in grants and donated 30,000 volunteer hours to the communities of Boston, San Diego, New York, Philadelphia, and the Bay Area.

Within the Life Science Cares community, many heroes raise money and donate their time in a myriad of ways. Because there is magic in the telling and some who are waiting for philanthropic inspiration, I am delighted to highlight Luke Timmerman, an extremely inspirational member of the Life Science Cares community and fellow national advisory board member.

Luke is a biotech journalist, author, entrepreneur, founder of Timmerman Report, a leading biotech industry newsletter, and author of “Hood: Trailblazer of the Genomics Age,” a biography of automated DNA sequencing pioneer Leroy Hood. Luke was named one of the 100 most influential people in biotech in 2015 by Scientific American.

Since 2017, Luke’s Timmerman Traverse Mountain Climbing Campaigns have catalyzed the biotech community to give back more than $10 million to fight cancer, poverty, and sickle cell disease. During his most recent climb in the North Cascades of Washington State, he and a team of biotech executives and investors gained between 6,000 and 8,000 feet of elevation, covering 20 miles of land. The Timmerman Traverse team hit its goal of raising $1 million for Life Science Cares!

Luke graciously answered my five questions below:

1. When and how did the idea of climbing for charity come to you?

I started thinking about climbing for charity in the summer of 2017. I was at a point in my career where I had established the Timmerman Report as a successful subscription-based publication for biotech industry professionals. Around the same time, I had gotten to a point in 15 years of mountaineering where I could seriously consider climbing Mt. Everest, the highest peak in the world. I thought that if I could push myself to climb Everest, that act would inspire the biotech community to give back to a charity that I care about.

2. How did you pick your first beneficiary?

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center had a pre-existing partnership with Alpine Ascents International. That was the guide service I knew I would climb Everest with. The partnership made perfect sense. As a journalist, I knew Fred Hutch scientists and their excellent work. Cancer research was at a moment of great possibility. I thought the biotech community could rally behind the climb of Everest and this excellent beneficiary organization.

3. You have climbed Mount Everest, which is known to be extremely difficult and demanding, and imagine it requires significant training to be in proper shape to take this on. Are there long-term physical effects from the effort?

I had some cold sensitivity in my feet for a while afterwards, but no long-term physical effects. The experience was more important mentally. I came away believing I was capable of much more than I had ever previously thought possible. The sky was the limit.

4. What are the most important qualities to have in team members when making such challenging climbs?

Missionary drive. The people who are most successful on these campaigns are willing to put in the hard work it takes to be successful. That comes from a passionate belief in the cause, the feeling that what they are doing is worthwhile service for others.

5. For others reading this who want to make a difference, what advice would you give them?

Find something you care about passionately in your bones. And think about what it is you have to offer in skills and attributes that might contribute toward that cause. With so much instability in our world, it is important to reflect on the goodness of those trying to have impact.

Luke, thank you for your time, inspiring leadership, and contagious efforts to support Life Science Cares!

Ryan Kovach has joined PilotLegis as Assistant Executive Director. Mr. Kovach is a seasoned leader focusing on compliance, auditing, contract negotiation, policy development, information security and training.

Learn more about Mr. Kovach here.

Amanda K. Brady, Managing Director/Chief Client Officer, conducted and completed this search.

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is “How do I get on a corporate board if I’m not already on a board?” The hardest board will be your first board.

Here is what you need to know.

1) The Process Is Different than Applying for a Full Time Position

A board seat is usually not a position for which you apply. It is much more like a sorority, fraternity, or even a posh club: Candidacy is by invitation only. While visiting and making contacts with search firms is helpful, it should not be your only strategy. Search firms fill only a relatively small percentage of board seats, though this number is increasing due to the need for highly specialized talents and a commitment to greater diversity.

Because someone can work and still serve on a board, it’s relatively easy for board members to recruit friends, former colleagues or executives with whom they’ve done business. A search firm may not be as helpful to you in seeking a board position as it would if you were looking for a C-suite role, simply because board searches are not put out to search nearly as often as executive positions are.

Secondly, Board positions do not turnover as frequently as C-Suite roles. The average tenure for directors in the larger companies of the S&P 500 Index and the broader Russell 3000 index is nearly ten years.

Lastly, it is expensive. Search firms charge anywhere from $70,000 to $200,000 to complete board searches. Many Boards inquire about their network before retaining a search firm.

2) Know Thy Strengths

What value could you bring to a board? Determine the industry and type of company where your background would be an asset. Would you meet the requirements to serve on a company’s Audit Committee? Do you have a background in a sought-after functional area, such as compliance, data security, or executive compensation? Are you a diversity candidate? There are many functional areas or qualifications that boards seek to ensure they have a well-rounded board.

Prepare an “elevator” speech that you will use to introduce your candidacy to search consultants and sources of referrals for board positions that articulate what you have to offer. You will also need a different resume highlighting your value to a board, your ability to represent shareholders, and interactions with your own or other boards.

3) Define Your Brand

What would someone learn about you if they Googled your name? Does your resume reinforce the assets you would bring to a board? (Define your strengths; see number 2 above). Who are you, and how have you established yourself? What is your reputation? What enterprise challenges have you faced and successfully navigated?

4) Be Visible

It is not enough that you are good at what you do. Being selected for a board requires both an internal and external effort. This requirement is especially important if you are not currently working. One of the fastest ways to disqualify yourself from a board is not to be “current.” Today, board members must be up to date with changes in business and technology. To this end, it is critical to become versed in social media. Have a LinkedIn profile complete with a picture. Have an account with—and understand how to use—Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok (even if you don’t use it). Submit articles, blogs or comments to industry association websites and publications. Engage in online dialog with your peers on social media. Publish an article on LinkedIn that delves into your area of expertise.

5) It’s All About Contacts and Networking

Landing a board seat is both a numbers game and a contacts game. Let your investment banking, law, bank, public accounting, and consulting firm contacts know of your interest in being on a board and the value you would bring. Use LinkedIn to identify board members of companies whom you can contact. Note if any of the directors are close to retirement. Many individuals have found board positions by contacting venture capital firms. In addition to search firms, check out top registries such as the National Association of Corporate Directors, Catalyst (for women), and various universities that have board training programs. Stanford, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and Dartmouth offer corporate governance programs.

6) Start Small and Leverage Those Successes

Be willing to start small. Are there any not-for-profits for which you have a passion? If so, volunteer to be on their board, even locally. Are there small companies that are looking for a volunteer board? What about your church, child’s school, or trade association? Once you’re on an organization’s board, fellow board members are often senior executives from public companies with whom you can network. It may take two or three not-for-profit boards before you can join a for-profit board. We know several executives who got their start on public boards by working with emerging growth companies and rode with those companies as they went from a garage operation to a Fortune 1000 company.

Most executives agree that it is harder to land their first board position than actually to serve on a board. Look at your contacts and networking as investing in one board and future Board positions. Not surprisingly, most search firms who conduct board searches look first to those already serving on public boards.

Additional resources:

The Executive Leadership Council: Helps provide opportunities for African American executives.

The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility: Serves as a resource for Hispanic executives vying for board service.

There are many lessons to glean from the challenges that businesses faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders were suddenly tasked with guiding their organization through a volatile, ever-changing environment in which decisions had to be made quickly while keeping the health of their company and their workforce a priority.

For the thousands of pre-pandemic executive searches we conducted, the traits our clients most often asked us to look for were traits associated with high-performing business leaders: financial acumen, risk assessment, persuasive negotiating tactics, etc. Now, our clients are prioritizing the mental health of their workforce, and are seeking executives that not only have an aptitude for typical business skills, but who also possess traits that have proven to be effective in promoting the emotional stewardship of a workforce. Today’s most successful leaders display adaptability, empathy, and humility in executing their responsibilities.

Adaptability is key in a fast-paced business world. Adaptive leadership is defined by its emphasis on creativity, innovation, collaboration, and mutual respect to produce long-term change. A leader with these qualities can quickly assess a situation, identify the best course of action, and implement a plan that achieves results.

According to McKinsey, “adaptability is the critical success factor during periods of transformation and systemic change.” Surviving change is not the hallmark of adaptability, rather it is the ability to endure change, and use those learned experiences to move forward with purpose.

Empathy is another important leadership characteristic. Executives who are empathetic can see things from other people’s perspectives and understand their feelings. They can then use this understanding to build trust, motivate others, and resolve conflicts. This leadership quality proved especially important during the height of the pandemic when people were experiencing considerable amounts of stress.

Moreover, empathy has been shown to reverse the strains that stress puts on a person, particularly in their job performance. According to a Catalyst study of 889 employees, empathy has some profound effects on job performance. For example, 61% of employees who responded as having empathetic leaders were able to be more innovative, 76% reported being more engaged in their work, and 50% expressed that their workplace was more inclusive.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella credited the empathy he developed while raising his severely disabled son with shaping his drive to instill an empathetic culture at work. Empathy, Nadella writes, “[is] a quality that shapes our mission of empowerment at Microsoft and our quest to meet unmet and unarticulated needs of customers. And it’s the quality that helps us as a society move forward in creating new opportunity for all.”

Daniel Lubetzky built an entire company around the idea of empathy. He founded KIND with the idea that people would not only do the “kind thing” to their body by giving it a healthier snack option, but by doing kind things for others through acts of service and kindness. He believes that empathy gives executives a distinct competitive advantage.

He explains, “When I understand people with ease, I can accomplish more in both my business and my private life. Being able to access these skills is especially valuable in those moments when you feel threatened and your fight/flight instinct kicks in. If you can ask yourself questions like, ‘where is this person coming from?’ then you’re able to get to a more productive place quicker, thereby creating value for business and society.”

Humility is another highly sought-after characteristic among organizations looking for their next executives. Many companies even go as far as to have potential candidates do some sort of personality analysis or ask probing questions during the interview process designed to get a better idea of their aptitude for humility.

For example, humility-focused questions such as “Do you appreciate teammates’ feedback at work?” or “As a leader, do you think you’re entitled to more recognition than the rest of your team?” have become ways to determine a candidate’s ability to lead with humility, which, according to studies, has led to increased employee engagement, lower turnover, and stronger teamwork.

A study conducted by the University of Singapore and Arizona State University found that humble CEOs are more likely to have better-performing management teams, leading to better overall company performance. Antonia Hock, global head of the Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center, was asked by the Society for Human Resource Management what managers could do to lead with humility. She advised to ask yourself a few questions after leading meetings or having one-on-ones with your team members:

“Did I ask for feedback, ideas and opinions because I was really engaged or just as a token way to close?”
“Were the concepts, ideas or processes that I presented first vetted with employees at various levels? ‘Leaders miss on this one all the time,’ Hock says. ‘No one likes to be asked to buy into directives that they had no voice in forming.’”
“Did I acknowledge the role that others played in creating, designing or driving my ideas or thoughts? ‘Great leadership does not exist in a vacuum, so actively [point out] who advised you, inspired you or contributed,’ Hock adds. ‘If you don’t have anyone in this category, that’s a problem.’”

As businesses evolve, and the world continues to throw new challenges their way, executives are looked to for steady leadership. Although there are numerous traits that successful executives must have, perhaps the most important are the ones that define their personality. Adaptive, empathetic, and humble leaders are the ones best positioned to quickly gain the confidence of their teams, which is the foundation for success.

To celebrate our firm’s 35-year history, The Alexander Group is talking to several of the outstanding executives we have recruited to ask about their lessons learned, leadership style, and the legacy they hope to leave behind.

This month, we feature Peter May who joined leading global law firm Baker McKenzie as Global Chief People Officer five years ago. Throughout the course of his 25 years in business, Peter has established a reputation as a leader and trusted advisor to executive management in top-tier professional services organizations. A native of Australia, Peter has worked in the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, bringing a unique global experience and perspective to his role. He spoke to us from his offices in New York.

You began your career as a chartered accountant and moved into human resources more than 20 years ago. What influenced this career path?

Peter May

There were two pivotal moments that set me on my current path: After graduating from Sydney University in Australia, I joined Price Waterhouse (PW), later PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), and became an auditor. And while I was good at that, a mentor who suggested I would do well in the learning and development department at PW.

On the back of that recommendation, I joined the technical learning department and found my calling. I was never more happy than in a classroom of adult learners. I had the opportunity to study how adults learn and the most effective way of facilitating and working with a group of people. That set me on the path to becoming a human resources professional.

I worked in learning and development for a number of years; then I heard through a connection that Deloitte Australia was interesting in a human resources director who had significant Asia Pacific experience, which I had through my role with PwC. This was the second pivotal moment in my career: Through that network connection, and with the encouragement of others, I took on an HR Director role in 2000, and I’ve been in HR generalist roles since then.

What did your mentor see in you that led him to guide you toward HR?

My joke is that clearly I wasn’t well suited to being an auditor. In truth, my mentor was always on the lookout for strengths and potential in others. He saw in me a reasonably high EQ — which every job requires but HR jobs in particular. He also saw in me an ability to lead and manage other people, to work in teams, and to have open and transparent conversations with people about their lives and their careers.

What makes you successful in your current role?

Stakeholder management is important in professional services. It’s important to have strong collaborative relationships throughout the organization and at the most senior levels. It’s a core competency.
Having a consistent leadership style is another factor that contributes to my success. I strive to be the same person whether I’m talking to the CEO or to an entry-level associate. You hear of people who manage up well, but who are bad at managing their own team. For me, a consistent leadership style is critical.
A third thing that drives my success is a foundation in values. In the HR space, you balance the interests of the individual with the interests of the firm or organization. Sometimes, these interests are aligned; sometimes they are not. You have to balance out those interests and work towards a middle ground. That requires a strong values base; the firm’s values are important, but you also need strong personal values.

You joined Baker McKenzie from Deloitte in 2014. How was the transition?

One of my primary challenges was moving industries. I’d worked in professional services before, but I’d never worked for a law firm. There are some similarities: Baker & McKenzie is a partnership like Deloitte. Baker & McKenzie also has a broad geographical footprint like Deloitte. But I had not worked directly with lawyers in the way that lawyers like to work: Lawyers like to understand the details of the issues and manage risks around those issues.

The level of consultation around decision making is much higher than it was in my previous role. Lawyers and law firms tend to have a lower risk tolerance around decision making; the movement to action takes longer. I had to learn to adapt the way I consult to accommodate that environment.

What were the organizational challenges you faced when you assumed the role?

The firm has 77 offices in 42 countries, and many of the HR practitioners, the HR practices and the policies were very independent. I needed to weave what I call “a golden thread” between the different things happening around the organization to unite us in a meaningful way. What were we doing in common, what needed to be done globally, and what needed to be held locally?

One of the big things we did was conduct a global engagement survey in 2015. That gave us real data on what our people thought of the firm, its human resources practices, its leadership and other issues. We knew what was on people’s minds and what was important as opposed to guessing about it. On the back of that survey, I was able to develop a global human resources agenda that allowed us to establish our priorities and unite the HR teams around the world.

Looking into the future, what legacy do you hope to leave behind?

This may sound cliché, but truly what I want is a human resources team that is the best in the industry, a leading light. I want others to look to us as a point of reference for how to do human resources really, really well.

I think it’s also important that my successor, and my successor’s successor, all come from within. I strive to have strong, internal succession for all senior roles in all the functions, so that it becomes sustainable.

As a mentor and leader, what is your favorite piece of advice?

When you’re asked to do something, always say yes. And then ask, what more can I do, how can I contribute, where can I add value? Be open to possibilities. Have an openness and willingness to participate in the life of the firm in relationship with other people, and participate fully in your own career, in your own deportment. That’s so, so important.

Describe your interview style when meeting with a prospective employee?

My interview style is always to put people at ease. I think if people are anxious and nervous, then you’re not going to see their full potential. You want people to be relaxed. You want them to be open. You want them to be fully themselves. If you can help them to relax into the interview, you then get much more from the person.

Near the end of the interview process, my style shifts. After we’ve had a few conversations, they know the position description, they know about the organization. Now I’m interested in what they make of the role themselves. I’m interested in hearing them play back to me what they believe a role’s about — what might be the challenges, what are the issues, and what they would do with that?

I’m often testing the interviewee for their understanding of the role and the organization. That tells me a lot about the person, as to whether they really understand what they’re potentially stepping into.

How do you recharge? What do you do to take care of yourself?

I enjoy exercise, and I try to run, if I can, most days. Wherever I go in the world, I always pack my running shoes. I also try to read extensively, particularly about the various schools of psychology. I find that interesting and helpful for my job. And finally, living in New York, I make sure I stay engaged in the life of the city as well — music, theater, events. Because of my travel and my work schedule, I don’t always have time.

It’s a struggle to maintain that balance. That’s the truth.

Strategist. Gatekeeper. Advisor. These aren’t just buzzwords for resumes or LinkedIn profiles. They are the critical duties of a role becoming prevalent in the C-Suite.

TV shows like “West Wing” and recent turnover at the Presidential level have attracted national attention to the role of Chief of Staff. Once primarily a government or military role, Chiefs of Staff (COS, for short) are beginning to appear on the rosters of non-government organizations. The trend began in the tech industry about five years ago as many former government officials left D.C. to join Silicon Valley startups.

“I first saw the role emerge more than 10 years ago in the financial services space,” says Jane Howze, Managing Director at The Alexander Group. “Larry Green held the title at Tudor Pickering Holt & Co. for six years, working side by side with President and Founder Dan Pickering.”

Today, the role has spread into banking, arts, professional services firms, and media. Warren Buffett has a Chief of Staff, as do Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Merck CEO Kenneth Frazier. Venture capitalist Peter Thiel’s COS famously went on to become Chief Technology Officer of the United States.

Demand for transparency, corporate accountability and the rise of social media mean that many chief executives are becoming more like politicians or public personalities, spending more time connecting with the public and media. Chief executives need a way to offload the work that isn’t getting done. Enter the Chief of Staff.

A springboard to the C-suite

As a researcher for an executive search firm, I often identify Chiefs of Staff as potential C-suite candidates: Chiefs of Staff learn first-hand what it takes to run and grow a business, and the experience can accelerate their careers. They have valuable operations, financial or human resources experience—or all of the above—and make excellent candidates for Chief Operations Officer, Chief Strategy Officer and many other C-Suite roles, depending on the search.

Chief of Staffs are also highly influential: This influence has helped women and people of color in the role forge their own unique career paths. “They are being positioned as the next wave of C-Suite executives themselves which is really exciting,” says Caroline Pugh, COS to President of CareJourney. “The chief of staff role could be the very role that finally evens out the gender disparity in boardrooms.”

Karen van Bergen, former CEO of Omnicom Public Relations Group, spent three years as Chief of Staff to the President of McDonald’s Europe before she advanced to the CEO role. Today, she serves as Dean of Omnicom University, the holding company’s long-standing management development program. Kathleen Lynch joined UBS Group Americas as Chief of Staff and a strategic advisor to senior management; today she serves as Chief Operating Officer.

”It’s the best leadership course you could potentially take,” said Nate Jenkins, Chief of Staff to Founder and Chief Executive of Sidewalk Labs, Daniel L. Doctoroff. “I am expanding how I both take in information and make decisions.”

What are typical responsibilities?

Beyond being the chief executive’s right hand, a COS will likely take on a specific focus while acting as a trusted partner for the chief. Sound ambiguous? “No Chief of Staff is the same,” according to Scott Amenta, another Chief of Staff profiled in a recent New York Times article. Dennis Yu, Chief of Staff at Chime, described the role as a “foil to the principal”. Like a weird kind of work twin? “Yes,” he replied.

Maggie Hsu, former Chief of Staff to the Zappos CEO, describes the variety of responsibilities a Chief of Staff may take on:

Administrative. These could include scheduling and planning meetings, attending along with the executive to take notes, and later following up on post-meeting action items. They may coordinate the executive’s calendar, keep critical contact information updated, and help them prioritize their tasks. It is important that a COS be organized, efficient and flexible.
Project management, such as tracking important initiatives, keeping stakeholders updated on a project’s status, and managing project teams. An ability to build relationships between business units is an important skill for a COS focused on project management. It is also important to be able to track the full lifecycle of a project from start to finish while keeping an eye on the big picture.
Financial. This could include running the budgeting cycle, conducting quarterly business reviews, preparing for board meetings, tracking financial metrics, or evaluating investment opportunities. This blend of administrative and strategic duties is a common task for a COS.
Strategic initiatives. It’s an ambiguous role and is custom-designed to fit the needs of a specific executive. As a result, the COS may take on projects that do not fit within any one business unit or function, such as developing new ideas and business opportunities, building out new functions or business units, designing function strategies, or providing decision support for stakeholders. Problem-solving skills are a must.
Human resources. Some Chiefs of Staff have human resources backgrounds: They may evaluate the organizational structure to identify gaps, update the recruitment process, carry out diversity & inclusion initiatives, or work with the Chief Human Resources Officer to streamline HR processes. They can play a part in the people operations of a company, influencing the community culture. Being people-oriented is important no matter what duties are assigned; it is especially helpful in this case.
Gatekeeping. Excellent communication skills are critical for this, as the COS represents the chief executive to his contacts and the public. The COS may spend much of their time fielding internal and external communications for the executive, vetting media requests, attending meetings on their behalf, and maintaining critical relationships. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential.

An effective Chief of Staff must be absolutely trustworthy.

Regardless of the blend of functional responsibilities, one quality trumps all others: Trust. An effective Chief of Staff serves as a trusted advisor who will represent and protect his or her executive’s reputation and serve as a trusted sounding board for politically sensitive and confidential matters. “The executive is constantly getting requests for their time, money, advice or other resources, and they need someone who can vet and respond to these requests appropriately,” says Hsu. “This requires a high degree of understanding and trust between the COS and the executive.”

Need more firepower in your C-suite?

“The main purpose of a chief of staff is to add firepower to the person he or she has been hired to support,” according to Chris Hutchins, the founder and CEO of Grove. Need that firepower in your C-suite? Hutchins suggests an organizational audit to discover what tasks are eating up too much of your chiefs’ time and what a COS could take on for her or him.

Ultimately, a Chief of Staff role will mean different things to different chief executives, and be an extension of that executive. No two are alike.

Brian Rumao, Chief of Staff to Jeff Weiner, LinkedIn’s CEO, said that while he has program management and strategic responsibilities, the role “has no boundaries or preconceived notions of how to measure success.” When discussing the details of his core responsibilities, Weiner said “The core part of the role is clearly defined. Above that, the role is ultimately what you make of it.”

Much of The Alexander Group’s work involves assisting law firms in recruiting executives (many from outside the legal industry) to run their business operations. As law firm administrative talent has become more sophisticated, so has law firm governance structure. Rarely, now, do law firms’ managing partners or chairs maintain robust legal practices. Also, the role of chair or managing partner is not a lifetime assignment as it was in the not-so-distant past.

Although virtually all AmLaw 100 firms have an executive or management committee that functions like a corporate board of directors, some firms are taking different approaches to the top leadership position of a firm. One approach that is becoming increasingly popular is for a firm to elect two co-managing partners, or both a chair and a managing partner. One of the co-managing partners or the chair will focus on strategy and external issues, while the other two will ensure that their firms run well. Schulte Roth, Kramer Levin, Kobre & Kim, Sullivan & Cromwell, Mayer Brown and K&L; Gates are examples of firms adopting this leadership structure.

A Closer Look at K&L; Gates

K&L Gates LLP employs approximately 2,000 lawyers across five continents. It has grown rapidly over the last twenty years through key acquisitions and organic growth. Here is my conversation with K&L Gates Chairman Michael Caccese about how this governance structure works.

John Lamar: K&L; Gates is recognized for its strong operational foundation, culture and governance structure. You serve as the firm’s chairman and Jim Segerdahl serves as managing partner. Both of you and your partners describe this structure as a successful and synergistic partnership between the two of you. Can you talk about how that came about?

Mike Caccese: Prior to March 2017, K&L; Gates firm leadership had one person serving in both roles. The Firm’s Management Committee believed for numerous reasons that because of the growth of the firm both geographically and in headcount, along with the complexities of operating a global law firm in the 21st century, the roles of chairman and global managing partner should be separated.

John Lamar: Did you both assume your role at the same time?

Mike Caccese: Jim and I started our roles in March 2017.

John Lamar: Did you have a close working relationship previously?

Mike Caccese: Jim and I had a working relationship for many years although I worked in our Boston office and he is based in our Pittsburgh office. We were both members of the management committee and served as the two Vice Chairmen of the firm prior to 2017, which gave us the opportunity to work closely on firm strategic issues.

John Lamar: How do you divide responsibilities today in your respective roles as chairman and global managing partner?

Mike Caccese: Jim, as the Global Managing Partner, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the law firm and implementing the firm’s strategies established by the Management Committee. My role as Chairman is to work closely with the Management Committee on strategy, ensure that they receive the resources needed to fulfill their duties to the partnership, work closely with Jim on client and industry outreach, and assist Jim in implementing firm strategy.

John Lamar: How often do you communicate?

Mike Caccese: Jim and I communicate almost daily and use each other as sounding boards for addressing firm and industry issues.

John Lamar: How has your relationship and interaction with each other changed since Covid?

Mike Caccese: Since Jim and I assumed our roles our relationship has become very close. Covid has only made it closer, with both of us and the Management Committee addressing the Covid-related unprecedented challenges facing law firms, industry, and clients, few of which are the same across the various markets and geographies in which K&L; Gates operates.

John Lamar: Since you had not worked from the same office or practice group previously what did you both do to get the relationship off to such a positive footing?

Mike Caccese: It was not difficult. We both communicated frequently, shared similar visions, and focused on basing decisions on what is the best for the partnership. Communication, respect, transparency, and a common goal enable us to work together seamlessly for the benefit of the partnership.

John Lamar: We are seeing many of our other clients considering dual management roles such as the one you and Jim share. What advice would you offer them?

Mike Caccese: Do not be hesitant to separate the two roles. Running a law firm is very complex, multi-faceted, and takes a team effort. Make sure that the two leaders have excellent communication and listening skills, and both operate towards the same goals. Finally, have the roles well defined and make sure one of the two positions is clearly responsible for the day-to-day running of the law firm. One decision maker, two strategists.

ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING EXECUTIVE LEVEL POSITIONS SINCE THE PANDEMIC

Since the start of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has set in motion an avalanche of both short- and long-term challenges for business leaders. Executives were faced with the short-term challenges of finding ways to keep their businesses functioning amid quarantine orders, revenue losses, and office closures.

To work through the long-term implications of this global disruption, many organizations turned to their Chief Strategy Officer (CSO), a multifaceted individual tasked with developing and executing strategic initiatives. Major global companies such as Kohl’s, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Petco, Molson Coors, and global law firm Kobre & Kim have CSOs in their C-suite to help develop and execute their organization’s long-term goals.

First introduced to the C-suite in the 1990s, the CSO ensures that the organization is well-positioned to meet potential future challenges, executes the Chief Executive Officer’s (CEO) initiatives, and positions the organization for long-term success. To be effective, a CSO must build a culture of trust through institutional and industry knowledge. This trust allows them the fortitude to make difficult strategic decisions.

The job of formulating a corporate strategy traditionally has fallen on the Chief Executive Officer. However, the complexities of the day-to-day operations of an organization often leave little time for chief executives to execute a long-term plan; this is where the Chief Strategy Officer steps in.

The Alexander Group celebrated 40 years of executive search leadership with an April celebration at The Podium at Porsche River Oaks in Houston. The evening drew more than 150 clients and friends of the firm, culminating in speeches from Managing Director and Founder Jane Howze, Managing Director John Lamar, and long-time client Larry Jobe, former Regional Managing Partner of Grant Thornton.

Other clients and friends of the firm attended the party, including Bud Simpson, a client since 1993. Bud was the former Chief Human Resources Officer for Coastal Corporation and a local not for profit leader. We also welcomed Linda Lang, former CEO of Jack-in-the-Box; Steve Taylor, CEO of the Arthritis Foundation, Phil Rudolph, former General Counsel of Jack-in-the-Box, Keith Fullenweider, Chairman of Vinson & Elkins, Kent Zimmerman, Senior Partner of Zeughauser Group, Nick Peacock, Chief Operating Officer of Baker Botts, Jay Sears, Managing Partner of NewQuest, Jim Katt CEO of US Cryo, Tom Brackin, CEO of American Omni Trading, and Andy Baker, former Managing Partner of Baker Botts.

Revved up and ready for the next four decades (and more) of service to our clients, the party featured a host of Porsche’s newest cars, a curated selection of light bites and special sips, a 360-camera booth, and a drawing for one party guest, who won Porsche test track experience.

Scroll through the images below for a look at The Alexander Group celebration.

Maria Anderson has joined Carlton Fields as Director of Legal Talent Management. Ms. Anderson is a seasoned law industry expert, knowledgeable in a wide range of areas, including talent management, attorney training and professional development, office administration matters, and workflow coordination.

Learn more about Ms. Anderson here.

This search was conducted and completed by John Mann and Michael Doering.