Executive Search Archives - Page 2 of 5

This blog about professional beards was originally published in April 2015 and remains one of The Alexander Group’s most-read blogs.

Professional beards are back and in a big way. The past few years have seen a significant upturn in the number of men wearing their facial hair “loud and proud,” both inside and outside of the office – a trend spanning industry, age, and even socioeconomic groups – leading to the inevitable question: “To beard or not to beard?”

Many of the world’s business leaders are sporting facial hair. Beards for professionals grace the faces of

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet
Reed Hastings, Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Netflix
Matt Parker, Executive Chairman of Nike
Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber
Larry Ellison, Co-founder, executive chairman, and CTO of Oracle

CEOs of 2025, each with a professional beard

The newspaper’s front page hasn’t been this hirsute since Carnegie, Rockefeller, Gould, Morgan, and other captains of industry were shaping the economy.

Captains of Industry with professional beards and facial hair

The Shaving Razor Market: Trends and Growth Outlook

The shaving razor industry has seen modest growth, with U.S. revenue reaching $2.9 billion in 2025 at a 1.0% CAGR. In Europe, the market is projected to hit $6.67 billion, growing 1.16% annually. While the industry declined around 2015, demand has stabilized as consumers embrace premium and sustainable grooming products.

This shift reflects a broader trend—the changing role of facial hair in professional settings as beards become more accepted. Whether maintaining a beard or a clean shave, grooming choices now hold greater significance in personal and professional branding.

Professional Beards, Business, and Changing Perceptions

What has led to this dramatic change? Facial hair and capitalism have a connected history. Beards were once considered an indicator of liberal, anti-establishment views and dissident tendencies, championed by men like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Che Guevara, and Fidel Castro.

However, not since the Robber Barons have professional beards been as popular in conservative, capitalist boardrooms as they are today. The hirsute look is currently not tied to any threatening economic or political ideology, and according to The New York Times, whiskers “no longer code as a threat.”

How Recession and Innovation Reshaped Grooming Trends

One interesting hypothesis is that many professionals began growing beards due to the recession of 2007-09. Christina Binkley of The Wall Street Journal describes two financial services professionals who lost their jobs and stopped shaving. She also points out that Al Gore grew a beard after losing the presidential election in 2000, stating that “it’s one of those tiny luxuries unleashed by unemployment.”

A significant contribution to the growing popularity of scruff comes from the technology industry.

The tech industry’s relaxed culture prioritizes innovation over strict dress codes, making facial hair widely accepted. Unlike traditional corporate environments, tech leaders are valued for their ideas rather than their grooming standards. This emphasis on creativity and individuality has helped normalize beards in professional settings.

The Alexander Group Managing Director John Lamar comments, “I went through a beard phase about 20 years ago. Okay, it was a goatee and not a very good one at that…I guess that was all I could muster.”

He continues, “I still like to go unshaven over the weekend…the rebel in me has not quite died. But come Monday morning, I break out the ol’ razor.” Lamar believes that the resurgence of professional beards has a lot to do with celebrities and techies. “The laid-back culture coupled with explosive wealth in these two worlds has created an “I just don’t care” attitude.”

According to a 2013 article in Daily Mail Reporter, men with beards “look as much as eight years older than their unshaven counterparts.” The late Steve Jobs of Apple is perhaps the epitome of how the image of the CEO has changed over the years.

In 2025, societal perceptions have evolved significantly. Beards have become mainstream and are widely accepted across various professional settings, reshaping perceptions of beards in the workplace.

A notable example is the New York Yankees, who, in February 2025, lifted their 49-year-old ban on beards to align with modern grooming trends and appeal to a broader pool of talent. This shift reflects a broader cultural acceptance of facial hair, with beards now often seen as expressions of individuality and personal style rather than indicators of age or non-conformity.

Beard of Directors

Despite the growing popularity of professional beards for businessmen, the number of unshaven business executives remains relatively small.

The Alexander Group Managing Director Beth Ehrgott has only had one client with a beard in all her years of search, but says, “It seems strange to think that beards still seem out of place in corporate America, yet many companies all have diversity initiatives and programs.”

Sarah Mitchell, Associate Director in The Alexander Group’s San Francisco office, says there is so much facial hair in the Bay Area that “it’s more of the rule than the exception. But I suppose I don’t see it very much when I think about those working in a more conservative corporate environment, as opposed to Google or one of the many startups.”

While personal expression is valued in the Bay Area in 2025, men’s style has shifted, with both long professional beards and a clean shave being acceptable—as long as grooming remains intentional. The choice between maintaining facial hair or a clean shave depends on personal style and industry norms, but the emphasis is always on a neat and professional presentation.

Phillip Rudolph, the former Executive Vice President, Chief Legal & Risk Officer, and Corporate Secretary at Jack in the Box, was fully bearded in 2007 when he was interviewed and then hired at Jack in the Box. At the time, he did not believe beards “are even remotely disqualifying.”

However, before joining Jack in the Box, Rudolph was Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at McDonald’s. He explains that while interviewing for the position, the human resources executive “asked how attached I was to my beard. I noted to him that, more correctly put, the beard was attached to me.”

Rudolph continued, “But I took the hint and shaved off the beard. I remained clean-shaven throughout my five years with McDonald’s.” Perhaps geography plays a role. Jack in the Box is headquartered in San Diego, and McDonald’s home is in Chicago.

A recruiter for Shell Oil Company says that she rarely sees candidates with facial hair, and hirsute executives at Shell “are few and far between.”

A Hairy Decision on Professional Beards

The bottom line is that if you are going to go unshaven, there are certain written and unwritten rules to follow.

Know your company’s culture and whether or not there are regulations or unwritten “rules” concerning facial hair. Do your homework, or ask your manager.
If you are going to grow facial hair, make sure that it is trimmed and neat. The last thing any executive (perhaps outside of the creative arts) wants to see is something ill-groomed and distracting.
If you are interviewing, it is always better to play it safe. Research the industry and company. If in doubt, shave! You can always grow it back.
Finally, if you decide to grow facial hair, plan accordingly. Wait for a holiday or vacation for ample time for proper growth. Stubble tends to be perceived as sloppy or lazy.

John Lamar sums it up perfectly: “For me, it basically boils down to the corporate culture. There are places where ping-pong, beards, and tattoos are completely acceptable and places where they are not. Having interviewed thousands of executives in various corporate cultures, I subscribe to one simple rule regarding facial hair – just keep it neat and clean.”

“A big bushy beard that could potentially house a family of robins says to me you don’t care about your appearance or how others may perceive you. That doesn’t bode well for a future leader.”

Know Your Audience

The professional beard has evolved from a symbol of rebellion to an accepted, albeit still debated, element of executive style. While beards are more common in tech and creative industries, traditional corporate environments still lean toward a clean-shaven look.

So, whether you prefer a clean-shaven look or professional men with beards aesthetic, understanding your industry’s expectations is key.

Whether interviewing for a new role or leading a boardroom, facial hair should align with your industry’s expectations and be well-maintained.

If you’re navigating executive hiring decisions—or considering how personal presentation affects career progression—The Alexander Group can help. Our expertise in executive search ensures leaders are not just a cultural fit but a strategic asset to their organizations. Connect with us today to explore how we can help shape your leadership team for success.

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP strengthens firmwide talent strategy with the appointment of Lisa Featherson.

Client: Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP | Role: Chief Talent Officer | Candidate: Lisa Featherson

Executive Search Consultants: John Lamar, Sarah Mitchell, Pamela DeLuca

Overview

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, a leading international law firm with a strong presence across eight global offices, engaged The Alexander Group to lead the search for a Chief Talent Officer. The firm required a proven executive to drive firmwide strategic initiatives related to executive search, retention, professional development, and overall talent performance.

Key Leadership Need

Katten sought a high-impact executive capable of elevating its talent function across legal and business services. The firm needed a leader with experience managing talent strategy at scale, aligning cultural values with firm objectives, and fostering a best-in-class experience for attorneys and staff alike.

The Alexander Group’s Approach

Drawing on deep expertise in legal executive search, Managing Directors John Lamar, Sarah Mitchell, and Pamela DeLuca launched a national search focused on candidates with a demonstrated ability to lead transformational talent strategies in global law firm environments.

Key steps included:

Developing a customized search strategy aligned with Katten’s firmwide talent and leadership development goals.
Conducting comprehensive market research to identify proven talent executives with experience in global law firm environments.
Evaluating candidates for strategic leadership capability and cultural fit, ensuring alignment with Katten’s entrepreneurial and client-centric culture.

Successful Placement and Impact

Lisa Featherson, previously Chief People and Development Officer, US at Norton Rose Fulbright, was appointed Katten’s Chief Talent Officer. She brings extensive experience in strategic human capital initiatives across law firms, focusing on recruiting, professional development, and retention.

Immediate benefits:

Unified Leadership Across Talent Functions: Lisa oversees talent development and acquisition, human resources, performance management, professional development and training, leadership programming, and other areas, ensuring a cohesive strategy across all offices.
Alignment with Firm’s Strategic Objectives: Her role includes spearheading the creation and implementation of a human capital strategy that syncs with Katten’s strategic objectives, enhancing overall organizational effectiveness.
Enhanced Employee Satisfaction and Retention: Lisa is responsible for maintaining employee satisfaction by managing benefits, fostering a positive cultural environment, and leading compensation efforts, contributing to improved retention and morale.

Insights from the Executive Search Director

“Lisa is a dynamic, strategic, and high-energy talent executive with an exceptional track record of success in large law firm environments. She is the ideal leader to continue elevating Katten’s talent function.”

— Sarah J. Mitchell, Director, The Alexander Group

About Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is a prestigious and dynamic international law firm with approximately 670 attorneys across eight global offices. The firm provides full-service legal counsel to a third of the Fortune 100, as well as government entities, nonprofit organizations, and individuals. Katten is recognized for its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to aligning legal service delivery with each client’s business goals.

About The Alexander Group

Specializing in executive search for law firms and financial leadership roles, The Alexander Group delivers strategic, results-driven placements tailored to each client’s unique needs.

Interested in learning more about our executive search services? Contact The Alexander Group today.

Random dialogue clouds suggesting board member communication between several board members

Board member communication is a critical skill that can shape the effectiveness and dynamics of any board. From asking thoughtful questions to influencing decisions through collaboration, how an effective board of directors communicates often determines its success.

This guide is the third in our series exploring proven strategies for helping first-time and seasoned board members refine their communication styles and build stronger connections. If you missed our previous posts, you can find part one here and part two here.

6 Board Member Communication Tips

One of our readers suggested that you think of your first board as if you are being introduced to your spouse-to-be’s family. Maybe that is not the perfect analogy, but first impressions are hard to counterbalance should you make a mistake.

As a board director, how you communicate is just as important as what you do. Successful directors think before they speak and influence their peers instead of making demands. Continue reading for more expert advice on effectively communicating as a board director.

Question in the right way.

Think before you speak. Ask yourself:

What is my intent?
What is my objective?

One savvy director says he phrases his questions to promote discussion and allow the board to examine the issue more deeply.

You need not always ask the first question or make the first comment on a topic. There will be times when you can offer more by listening first to what others have to say. As we noted previously, refrain from asking questions merely to get information you should already have; in other words, do your homework so you don’t have to use meeting time to get up to speed. If you have unanswered questions, schedule one-on-one calls or meetings with the CEO or other directors before the meeting and during breaks.

Be time-conscious and make every moment count.

Know what matters and what does not because time is limited. One veteran director comments, “There is always a director who wants to monopolize the conversation and listen to himself talk. Don’t be that person.”

Stick to the essentials for effective board meetings and action. If the conversation derails, gently guide everyone back to the topic. Details matter and often merit discussion, but avoid “the weeds” unless the issue is the weeds. Those are better left to management.

Be open to adapting your board member communication style.

You will have a different kind of authority than a director on your first public board as a CEO, where you have the final say. A board meeting is not a staff meeting where you make unilateral decisions and assign tasks. One director, a managing partner at a private equity firm, confessed that after being on the board of portfolio companies where he didn’t have to share power with others, joining a public board required him to modify his style to stop giving orders and rely more on influence.

Because boards act collectively and not individually, effective directors must act through persuasion, convincing others of the merits—and the risks—of a particular decision. Becoming an influential board member requires understanding how other directors receive and process information. You will never finish refining your ability to influence.

Be careful about how you discuss previous experience.

Use your experience as an executive officer at other companies without constantly referring to it. As one director said, “It is very annoying for someone to continually say, ‘At ABC company, we always did this.’” Constantly bringing up your experience as an executive may turn off management and your fellow directors.

Instead, one veteran director suggests asking open-ended questions that compare strategies. “Could there be a better way to do this?” works much better than “At my company, we do it differently.” Balancing input and collaboration with others is one of the key responsibilities of a board member. This ensures that your experience adds value without overshadowing group dynamics.

Ask for feedback.

Director communication should be on a two-way street, not limited to the boardroom or committee room. Most boards have a formal director evaluation process; let that assessment be an ongoing process and seek out the views of other directors on a range of relevant matters. One of the most valuable things a new director can do is ask for feedback on their board participation after the first or second meeting. If you are talking too much, focusing on the wrong issues, or crossing the line on management responsibilities, learning it quickly to adapt is better. Seeking constructive feedback is a vital step in learning how to be a good board member, helping you identify areas for improvement and build stronger relationships with fellow directors.

Provide feedback—but do it respectfully.

After you have gained experience serving on the board, be a helpful leader to any new directors. An experienced board director suggests providing positive feedback to new board members by starting with positive recognition: “I like the way you did this. However, when you said that, you turned the management off. Is there a better way you could approach that?” Many first-time board directors may be insecure initially; the seasoned director has an opportunity to mentor and guide the new director to be effective. Understanding what makes a good board member involves fostering open communication, offering peer support, and continuously improving your ability to collaborate.

Effective Board Member Communication Can Enhance Your Leadership

Mastering board member communication is essential for building trust, fostering collaboration, and driving effective decision-making within any board. You can elevate your contributions and influence as a director by asking thoughtful questions, adapting your style, and providing constructive feedback.
If you’re ready to enhance your board’s leadership and find directors who excel in communication and collaboration, The Alexander Group can help. Contact us today to learn how our executive search expertise can support your organization’s success.

A businessman is trapped in his glass office by a surplus of discarded ideas on paper . His colleague in the next office is working more efficiently and is oblivious to him being trapped .

What do you do when you have hired someone who, once on board, is not a good hire? No one intends to make bad hiring decisions, but they happen for various reasons. Think Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.

We interviewed several leaders; interestingly, most offered the same advice: You will know if you have made a bad hire within three to six months—and sometimes much sooner, they agreed. Their recommendation? “Face the music and move on. Do not sit tight and hope that it will get better. Fault generally lies on both sides.”

“Nobody wants to fire anybody,” says Jeff Early, a 40-year banking veteran, “but it’s fairer for both the employee and the employer to resolve the problem quickly.”

Cut your Losses

Dan Bowling, Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke Law School and former head of human resources for Coca-Cola Enterprises, responded typical of the group: “Cut your losses as soon as you can. In my experience, once you begin to have serious doubts, it is hard to reverse them. Your instincts are probably right.”

One executive we spoke to had hired a Vice President of Compensation, a generalist who emphasized compensation. The individual convinced the hiring manager that she could handle a compensation role and interviewed well with key stakeholders. She “Seemed like a good fit. References checked—she had tons of promise.” The hiring manager and candidate both acknowledged there would be a learning curve and that it would take some time to get her up to speed.

However, it quickly became apparent that she needed help to handle the stress of a new environment and the demands of improving her technical skills. Her mistakes added to her stress; she stopped sleeping, which compounded her ability to assess new information, and before long, it was clear that she could not manage the job. The hiring manager openly discussed with the individual how they both decided without having all the facts, and she was released with a two-week notice. “We hired one of the other candidates in the search, and it worked out well in the long run.”

Others could have been more successful.

One executive tells a grim tale of getting stuck with a bad hire: “A typical issue one faces is when a senior person is hired with the involvement of other departmental heads. You know a mistake has been made within the first few weeks—you see it daily. The executive might be satisfying the needs and agendas of those other constituencies but can’t do the job you need doing.”

Undoing a hiring mistake quickly can be difficult in a modern corporate environment because of the multiple constituencies involved in a key executive’s recruitment and selection process. Sometimes, Bismarck’s diplomatic skills are needed to convince the rest of the management team that a mistake was made.

“It took two years to manage his exit,” our executive added. “By then, the damage was done.”

Coaching

In the collective experience of the executives we surveyed, a company has rarely been able to reverse a hiring mistake. When it does happen, it is a magical synergy of the particular individual, their situation, and the complexity of the role.

Some respondents maintain that coaching the individual can sometimes save the hire. 360-degree assessments are highly effective tools for obtaining concrete feedback from others and addressing performance issues.

One executive told us: “Clearly communicate expectations and needed areas of improvement, define key measurable metrics to achieve performance objectives, document all activity and ongoing progress, and genuinely work with the individual to help them embrace the role and deliver desired results.”

Other times when coaching can save the hire are when circumstances change beyond the individual’s control. For example, a person may be assigned a new manager, a new CEO may have a different strategic vision, or the company may be sold or make an acquisition, and suddenly, the newly hired executive may not be a fit.

One executive recalled hiring a Vice President of Human Resources who was a superb cultural and technical fit. However, six months after he joined, the company acquired another company with extensive international operations. The new Vice President of Human Resources had yet to gain international experience and would not have been qualified for his role in the now-global company. The company and the individual used coaching, added support, and training to allow the individual to keep and excel in his expanded role.

However, if the issues are exclusively about style or cultural match, coaching someone to fit into the organization is harder.

Move the Person into Another Role

Carved into another moved function or position that might provide a better fit? Our surveyed executives agreed that this works on occasion. For example, suppose there is a personality conflict with the hiring manager, but there is a comparable role in another region or business unit. In that case, it is possible to transition the person successfully. However, “there are not many second chances in most companies,” one executive cautioned us.

Mr. Bowling added his caution: “Another position in the organization might be a better fit, so make a good faith effort to look for one. But don’t transfer your problems to someone else—that is unethical and will destroy your credibility in the long run.”

Learn from Your Mistakes

What was your mistake? Was it hiring too fast? Ignoring red flags because you personally liked the individual? Being so wooed by a track record that you ignored cultural fit? Do you need more adequate due diligence?

Most of our respondents agreed that many of their hiring mistakes proved an opportunity to re-examine their hiring process. And yes, you need a structured hiring process that defines what you seek, aligns the interview team, includes behavior-based interviewing, and ensures due diligence.

“I once had a boss who said, be slow to hire, quick to fire,” adds Mr. Early. “That’s trite, but, looking back, I should’ve heeded that more often.”

Realize also that a batting average of 100 percent on new hires is unrealistic and shouldn’t be expected. Jack Welch, former Chief Executive Officer of General Electric, said, “New managers are lucky to get it right half the time. And even executives with decades of experience will tell you they make the right calls 75 percent of the time, at best.”

And when you do make those mistakes, don’t be afraid to admit them. Just try not to repeat them.

This article was initially published in November 2011 and updated in September 2018.

Throughout the past year, we’ve enjoyed an array of global travels, meaningful books, thought-provoking films, and live music experiences that prompted us to dance and sing. Deeming something “the best” is a heady move, but The Alexander Group knows a few things about exemplary talent, so we offer these 2024 arts and pop culture superlatives as we head into 2025.

Jane Howze, Managing Director

Best Film: Documentary Daughters streaming on Netflix. It’s about a daddy/daughter dance, where the fathers are incarcerated. Look for it to get an Oscar nod.

Best Concert: It’s hard to pick as I went on a concert BINGE this year. Taylor Swift (multiple shows), Joni Mitchell at the Hollywood Bowl, and the Rolling Stones in San Francisco.

Best Trip/Travel Destination: The Gleneagles in Scotland for a bucket list golf trip.

John Mann, Managing Director

Best Film(s): Movies are Will and Harper and The Menendez Brothers documentaries. Will and Harper’s insight into a personal conversation with one of my favorite actors, Will Ferrell, and his good friend’s transformative journey.

The Menendez Brothers is gripping— the story of these infamous brothers and their plea for mercy.

Best Book: Framed by John Grisham (currently reading). It’s the perfect mix of my interest in nonfiction and crime thriller documentaries and shows like Dateline and 20/20.

Best Trip/Travel Destination: Spending Thanksgiving with family on the Big Island, Hawaii. It was an unforgettable week filled with beautiful moments, amazing company, fantastic golf, and breathtaking sunsets.

Jean Lenzner, Managing Director

Best Book: The Women by Kristen Hannah

Sarah Mitchell, Director

Best Book: All Fours by Miranda July

Wellness by Nathan Hill was a close second but was published in 2023

Best Concert/Album: Ben Folds at the San Francisco Symphony!

Best Trip/Travel Destination: We were absolutely delighted by our August visit to Bend, Oregon. Incredible hiking, views, food, and craft beer in Central Oregon. We can’t wait to go back.

Kyle Robinson, Director of Research

Best Film: Deadpool & Wolverine. Funniest movie I’ve seen in quite a while.

Best Trip/Travel Destination: Disneyworld! It was a trip “for the kids,” but it also fulfilled a lifelong wish for my wife and me. We can’t wait to go back!

Jacqueline Griffin, Director of Accounting and Administration

Best Book: The House of Cross by James Patterson

Best 2024 Concert/Album: Earth Wind and Fire and Santana

Anthony Ott, Senior Associate

Best Book: After the Rain by Alexandra Elle. It is a book comprised of gentle reminders for Healing, Courage, and Self-Love. It is for everyone learning how to dance in the rain. Your storms do not define you. Trust your pilgrimage and uncover your joy. It’s an easy peace-giving read.

Best Concert/Album: I went to The Beach Boys! How nostalgic that was!

Best Trip/Travel Destination: I was heading to New Orleans for a golf trip, but it was canceled at the last second because of a hurricane warning. I was at the airport and called by my brother, who was also there for our annual golf trip to celebrate our birthdays. We pivoted quickly to Las Vegas and got comped rooms at the Bellagio. We had an opportunity to play Bali Hai Golf Club, the only championship golf course remaining on the famed Las Vegas Strip. When we pulled up to the 18^th hole, Butch Harmon was there watching… the most nervous I have EVER been standing over a golf ball.

Abby Buchold, Senior Research Associate

Best Concert: Sarah McLachlan in early July was the only concert I attended this year—the tickets were a birthday gift from my husband. She performed all of the songs from her 1993 album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. I wore that CD out and had to buy a new copy in 1997! As trailing GenX-ers, her music was a college staple for my husband and me. She’s just as amazing now as she was in the 90s!

Best Trip/Travel Destination: We traveled to beautiful Thessaloniki, Greece with some friends in May. Thessaloniki is a lovely city in northern Greece on a bay just off the Aegean, and it is the hometown of one of our travel companions. Highlights included Mt. Olympus, Philippi, and Grevena, a town known as the mushroom capital of Greece. We had nearly perfect weather and enjoyed visiting many seaside tavernas for amazing seafood. I never thought I’d love fried sardines, but I do now.

Jennifer Lee, Administrative Assistant

Best Film: Deadpool & Wolverine

Best Book: Atomic Habits by James Clear (came out in 2018, but I read it this year)

Best Concert/Album: Ten Days – Fred Again

Best Trip/Travel Destination: Goldbar, Washington

Lindsay Ames, Research Associate

Best Concert/Album: My favorite concert of 2024 is a combination with my favorite travel destination (as my family and I haven’t been travelling much lately). Las Vegas, Nevada, for the Sick New World 2024 festival.

My husband and I have gone two years in a row to this festival, for its inaugural and second years, to see our favorite heavy/nu-metal band, System of a Down. We were planning to attend next year as well, but SOAD decided not to headline for 2025 (Metallica and Linkin Park, with their new lead singer, were co-headlining the bill instead), and the festival was not able to sell out like they had the first two years and canceled.

Lauren Elkhoury has joined Vinson & Elkins as Director of Pricing and Rates. Ms. Elkhoury is a cross-functional leader with extensive experience identifying and planning strategic initiatives to maximize revenue and profitability competitively.

Prior to joining Vinson & Elkins, Ms. Elkhoury Director, Practice Operations for Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP in Houston, Texas. Ms. Elkhoury received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Tulane University.

“Lauren is a seasoned legal professional who will bring years of legal project management, pricing, and practice operations experience to Vinson & Elkins. She is known for her ability to plan strategic initiatives to maximize revenue and profitability competitively,” said Anthony Ott, Senior Associate, The Alexander Group.

Managing Director John Mann and Senior Associate Anthony Ott conducted and completed this search.

Vinson & Elkins LLP is one of the largest and most successful law firms in the United States, with approximately 700 attorneys. V&E consistently ranks as one of the most profitable law firms and is ranked 25th in the Am Law 100 with respect to 2023 based on profit per equity partner.

Collaborating seamlessly across 11 offices worldwide, V&E provides outstanding client service. The Firm’s lawyers and other professionals are committed to excellence, offering clients experience in handling their transactions, investments, projects, and disputes across the globe. Established in 1917, the Firm’s time-tested role as trusted advisor has made V&E a go-to law firm for many of the world’s leading businesses and investors.

Illustration of teamwork with gears and lightbulbs symbolizing innovation and collaboration, supporting executive job search tips.

Executive job search tips can make or break your chances of landing a leadership role, especially when working with executive job search firms and experienced recruiters.

We’ve written advice on how to best prepare for, maximize, and manage meetings during a search process, whether with a search committee, a board of directors, videoconferencing, or a conference call.

Understanding executive job interview tips and showcasing qualities of professionalism are essential steps in setting yourself apart from other candidates. After all, professionalism in the workplace isn’t just about appearances—it’s about ensuring your actions align with your words and reflect your capabilities as a leader.

How to Lose Jobs and Alienate Interviewers

Generally, most successful senior executives are adept and experienced at the executive search process, but not all. And the exceptions have stood out vividly. Here are a few real-life examples of executive behaviors that have left these executive search professionals less than impressed.

Four Insights to Help You Succeed in the Executive Recruitment Process

Match your talk to your walk.
Little things make a big impression.
Where was I? Oh, yes…Stay on point.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Match your talk to your walk.

How you conduct yourself during the search process speaks volumes about how you engage as a professional and business leader. It is an opportunity to “walk the walk,” not just “talk the talk.”

A Chief Operating Officer may say that he is “highly analytical, data-centric, and impeccably precise,” but if he repeatedly asks for schedules and agendas to be re-sent, does not remember the names of people he has met with, product lines, or critical business metrics; and (despite multiple corrections) continues to bafflingly mispronounce the company’s two-syllable name—your actions are speaking louder than your words.

Likewise, if you’re

a Chief Information Officer who has never used FaceTime, WebEx, or Skype;
a Chief Communications Officer and your resume is one solid block of text with mismatched fonts;
a Chief Accounting Officer and can’t work out the calculations on a travel reimbursement form,

you aren’t projecting the level of functional expertise commensurate with your profession.

Little things make a big impression.

Details matter, and making sure the fine points and “little things” are covered and done correctly is essential for success—as a Chief Executive Officer candidate recently learned. Having spent days and weeks flawlessly preparing, she called in a panic two hours before her final meeting with the board after realizing she had mistakenly flown to the wrong city. She was not selected for the role.

We recognize that many employers no longer require regular formal business wear in the office. However, it was clear that a candidate was not ready for prime time when he arrived to interview in a suit that had been out of use for so long that dusty coat hanger creases were permanently etched into the shoulder blades.

My colleague Jane Howze describes a search committee search she ran a few years ago: “The committee was deadlocked between two outstanding candidates. What broke the deadlock was that one of the candidates answered questions with ‘What WE need to do,’ while the other candidate responded with ‘What YOU all should do.’”

Small stuff? “Absolutely,” Jane agrees, “but one candidate had already aligned herself with the organization.” She was offered the position. Demonstrating business professionalism means being detail-oriented and prepared, ensuring that even minor oversights don’t overshadow your otherwise strong candidacy.

Where was I? Oh, yes…Stay on point

While the best leaders in their fields have a clear and tangible passion for their work, savvy executives also know how to express that passion in proportion to the receptiveness of their audience and the purpose of a discussion. Do not frantically whiteboard ideas like Russell Crowe in “A Beautiful Mind” to explain your vision. Instead, be nimble and calibrate your message to your audience.

Relatedly, it’s always important to remember to stay on point—especially if you tend to go off on a tangent. If the visual representation of your response to a simple question looks like this…

“I arrived at the firm to lead a significant turnaround; revenue was down 20 percent.”

“I joined on the same day as the firm’s new General Counsel. She had come to the firm from IBM. My brother once worked for IBM. He lives in Wyoming now. I’m headed to Wyoming in two weeks for a vacation. Three years ago, my wife and I vacationed in Paris. It was a nightmare getting there. Our original flight out was canceled, etc.”

…then, your ratio of digressions to relevant points needs inverting.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Scheduling meetings between hyper-busy executives is always challenging. Most of us have calendars and schedules bursting at the seams. However, offering a 45-minute window of availability during June does not demonstrate priority, flexibility, or your willingness to participate in the process.

Along the same lines, constantly demonstrating to a company that you are “pleased where I am,” that it would “take something extraordinary for me to leave,” or that you “could not imagine a better situation than I currently have,” rather than demonstrating why the organization needs you, will not motivate a company to take those “extraordinary” steps.

As we have said before, it is always crucial to “stick the landing.” Sending thoughtful thank you notes to follow up after meetings can be a differentiating touch. Just be sure you have the correct email addresses and that the note to Phil Jones, Firm X, Managing Partner, doesn’t accidentally go to Phil Jones, Firm X, Database Intern.

Mastering Executive Job Search Tips for Success

The executive job search process requires attention to detail, professionalism, and strategic preparation. Avoiding these common missteps ensures you present yourself as the polished leader organizations seek.

While the best executive job search sites can provide helpful tools, partnering with experienced executive search professionals like The Alexander Group offers personalized insights and guidance beyond what online platforms offer.

For more executive job search tips, follow The Alexander Group on LinkedIn and explore our blog for additional resources to advance your career.

Jeremy LeBlanc has joined Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP as Director of Technology Services.

Mr. LeBlanc has over 20 years of multi-industry, innovative information technology executive experience, including senior technology leadership roles with major law firms, investment banking, and technology consulting firms. Before joining Fried Frank, Mr. LeBlanc served as Regional Head of Information Technology for the U.S. for Withersworldwide.

“Jeremy has an outstanding record of strategic and operational information technology experience and has been a key member of business leadership with the firms he has served with throughout his career,” said Bill Lepiesza, Director of The Alexander Group.

Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP is an elite Wall Street law firm with approximately 700 attorneys in New York, Washington, DC, London, Frankfurt, and Brussels. Fried Frank’s origins date to the turn of the 20th century, and it is well known for representing global financial institutions, investment banks, private equity firms, hedge funds, real estate investors and developers, and Fortune 500 corporations.

Consistently highly ranked in league tables and legal directories, including Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500, the firm is well recognized for providing highly effective solutions to sophisticated business challenges.

This search was conducted and completed by Director Bill Lepiesza and Associate Pam DeLuca.

Martina Owens has joined Milbank LLP as Chief Administrative Officer.

Ms. Owens is an innovative administrative and operations executive with strong facilities, real estate, and staff management experience.

For more information about Ms. Owens, click here.

Director Sarah J. Mitchell conducted and completed this search.

The Alexander Group, recognized as one of the country’s top CEO executive search firms, presents “Five Questions With Extraordinary Leaders,” our interview series with visionary industry leaders. In this installment, Managing Director Sally King interviews Michael Caplan, COO of Lowenstein Sandler, discussing leadership style and advice for those seeking a Chief Operating Officer role at a large professional services or law firm.

Michael Caplan believes in diving in.

All in.

It’s how he connects with his team, peers, partners, and clients. Caplan is intentional about his leadership style, setting expectations and seeking growth opportunities. He interacts, listens, and strategizes with the goal of positively impacting his professional leadership team, attorneys, and firm.

With more than 30 years of experience in the accounting, financial, investment, and consulting industries and 20 years of corporate legal and law firm experience, Caplan takes a holistic approach to his role.

He combines his understanding of the business of law and his financial acumen with effective communication skills and a strategic approach to challenges.

Caplan joined Lowenstein Sandler in March 2024. A national law firm with over 350 lawyers based in New York, New Jersey, Palo Alto, Utah, and Washington, D.C., the firm represents leaders in virtually every sector of the global economy, particularly emphasizing investment funds, life sciences, and technology. It is recognized for its entrepreneurial spirit and high standard of client service.

Caplan believes Lowenstein is poised for exponential growth, and he is ready to lead the way.

Read on for Caplan’s “Five Questions With Extraordinary Leaders” conversation with King.

You recently joined Lowenstein but have served in this kind of role for over 10 years. How did you navigate your transition from Professional Services firms to law firms?

I’m a business-oriented COO, and I have a client’s perspective. This approach has served me well in corporations across various sectors and serves me well as COO at Lowenstein.

Learning about law firm culture requires an understanding of practice groups, building relationships with partners, and how these elements work together in a competitive industry. But effectively leading any organization requires knowledge of basic business principles: What is

demand? What is productivity utilization? How should we think about our business differently? Why is revenue different from profit?

Additionally, I am very focused on how the law firm’s professional staff should be involved in client development, specifically in areas of operational expertise. I take these basic tenets and incorporate them into what I call “the business of law.” At Lowenstein, we have even branded these as “BEST—Business Enterprise Solutions Team.”

As a law firm COO, I work with both the attorneys and the business professionals who support them to facilitate the firm’s success. Internally, we are a team, and every participant understands their own value —what each of us brings to the firm. Externally, we need to differentiate ourselves from our competition in an increasingly competitive environment. One of the ways we do this is by helping clients with their operational effectiveness and operational excellence.

Lowenstein was looking for a leader on the business side who could help them think about how the firm can grow and adapt in the future —across different categories and different work streams. I am now part of the leadership team that is discussing and planning how to scale the firm. This was a big part of what attracted me to join Lowenstein. After working in legal operations for two decades, this opportunity was more than being strategic. It is leading-edge and innovative, and leading a team that can engage in driving revenue and the business is pretty cool.

I relish having this seat at the table at Lowenstein, where the partners are eager to discuss best practices and growth strategies.

Recently, we’ve been focused on a strategic plan that leverages the business of law to serve our clients, our colleagues, and our communities. We are looking at lateral partner hiring, innovative technology and solutions, data and business intelligence, cross-selling, conflicts, and lateral partner hiring, and we are looking at these elements in new ways. This approach will enable the firm to grow, be competitive, and STAY competitive— not only in our tier-one practices but how across all of our different groups from a cross-selling, collaborative perspective.

What have some of your biggest challenges been in law firms? Having 20/20 vision in hindsight, what might you change, and what might you do exactly the same?

The role of a COO is different today than it was ten—even five years ago. A COO must communicate with partners so that the focus is on attracting profitable clients and efficiently running the business and practicing law. In addition to building a focus on lawyers, the firm must also invest in firm infrastructure and non-legal talent.

Today, we are seeing law firms that resist change. The COO can play a big role here. Firms have to allow their COOs to have a voice, and partners with senior leadership need to promote and mandate that the COO have a voice. A strong COO with excellent communication skills can bring the partners in and drive change. On the other hand, if a firm has a COO unwilling to get out in front of a partnership that’s not letting the COO get out front, it will be ineffective in taking its law firm to the next level.

It is important for any COO to establish relationships with partners so that they feel heard. Trust is very important. Once that is established, a COO can then effectively communicate to the partners how investing in the firm will help their practice. Any strategy will only be successful if the culture and partnership support it.

Currently, there is a highly competitive marketplace for clients and C-Suite leaders. I’m trying to hire chief officers, different levels of directors, and others within my professional staff with a strategic view of the business. Of course, every other law firm is seeking the same type of talent! However, Lowenstein Sandler offers an excellent proposition for highly qualified candidates because our firm truly values the opinions of its business strategists.

Now, looking back as an 11-year tenured COO of a law firm, I don’t get too bothered by the challenges that I faced earlier in my career. I’ve learned to take challenges in stride, reflect, and partner with other people to solve problems. I spend a lot of time with partners and our Chiefs brainstorming, strategizing and thinking about messaging and how to handle people challenges: how do we think holistically about where we want our teams to go and how do we get them there?

Running a law firm is not that difficult from an operational standpoint. But running a firm of partners and professional staff is the hardest part of the job. The people part of the job is challenging because you are literally managing “talent.” Every day can bring up new challenges from a people standpoint, but it is both challenging and invigorating as a leader.

What are some of the challenges you see on the horizon that you will need to address, and what is your game plan?

AI presents an opportunity, but it’s a challenge. Where do we begin? How much data do we have? What is the data that the clients have? How are we thinking about our rate structures? How are we thinking about our hiring plans? How are we thinking about leveraging our profitability model? How are we getting in front of these communication plans with our clients?

AI presents a significant opportunity to engage clients, attorneys, and professional staff, but how do we address this? What comes first, second, third? Every vendor has a solution. I get 500 emails a day from unfamiliar vendors who want to solve all my problems.

Our chairman, Gary Wingens, and our full leadership and strategic planning committee are very focused on AI information and innovation. That is how we are managing this roadmap of products, data, communication, and client relationships as we guide our firm’s growth.

The other challenge is the growth of the lateral partner market. As a competitive national law firm, we want to grow our practices and become a destination firm for our key practices with lateral partners. But we are competing with many firms for the same lateral partner hires. The challenge is how we continue to be that destination firm and grow with the strategic plan of lateral partner hiring; as COO, I have to evaluate how to scale my teams to meet our projected growth.

If we hire 200 lawyers in the next two-and-a-half to three years, how many BD people do I need? What does practice management mean? How do we manage paralegals? How do we look at conflicts? How do I look at my recruiting team? How many billers and collectors do we need? Yet, at the same time, how do you manage the expense growth before the revenue comes in when you’re making partners so you continue to be very profitable? This analysis requires a strategic view of how to manage the challenges of expense and investment, along with the revenue that will come in behind it.

What do you look for when hiring your chief team or people who will report to you, and how do you ensure you have a good mix of leadership attributes amongst your team? What is your leadership and communication style?

I believe that chief officers all need to have real leadership. To me, this is table stakes. I operate as a COO, and I manage a team of people, but it’s a very flat organization. I love to embrace leaders and resources at all levels because I really try to truly create career aspirations for the folks who are on my teams. I want my teams to invest in their careers. It is not just about title and promotion, but there’s responsibility. Learn the firm, learn the partners, learn the practices, lead at every level. I’m really looking for people that are hungry, people that love to work, are excited and have ideas, and are not afraid to talk about them.

What advice would you give someone wanting to be a COO at a large professional services or law firm? How does Lowenstein manage succession for these roles, and how do you think other firms manage that process?

First of all, my advice to somebody who wants to be a COO is that you have to really invest in getting to know that firm. You have to truly take on the job as an owner.

I tell everybody whom I hire to take the first six months to a year and get to know people, build relationships, learn the firm, go on a listening tour, get on airplanes, go to different offices, make sure you work out a lot because you’re going to have a lot of meals and a lot of coffee, but listen and learn. If you really truly want to be successful at the job of the COO, you have to build trust with your partners. And then you also have to build trust with your team under you, so that they will embrace you as the COO and keep you in the loop.

A reputation can be made or broken very quickly. You have to be willing to make those investments and sometimes sacrifices to be a very successful COO. The other piece of advice I would give is you’ve got to understand the financials. You have to truly get how the firm makes money, how we bill, how we collect, how we look at rates, how we price, what profitability means, what staffing and leverage utilization, productivity, demand go down the line, what is contribution? If you don’t understand the numbers of a law firm, it’s very hard to be a COO.