Time to update the rolodex. Financial services industry recruiter Alex Thomson has left Russell Reynolds and joined Odgers Berndtson as partner in its Boston office. Thomson heads up asset and wealth management and real estate practices.

Thomson, who started at Odgers Berndtson two weeks ago, reports to managing partner Steve Potter.

Previously, Thomson spent 12 years at Russell Reynolds in its asset & wealth management, real estate, and endowment & foundation practices. His clients have included mutual fund firms. Earlier, he led Whitehead Mann's wealth & asset management practice in North America.

In an interview with The MFWire.com, Thomson said the move to Odgers Berndtson provided an opportunity to "build and run the practices," noting that Odgers Berndtson, one of the top five executive search and organizational leadership firms in the world, does not have a big presence yet in the U.S., particularly in the financial services realm.

A Russell Reynolds representative was not immediately available for comment on Thomson's departure.

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Company Press Release

Odgers Berndtson Names Prominent Financial Services Executive Search Consultant Alexander Thomson Partner in Boston Office
Will Lead U.S. Asset Management Practice

NEW YORK--Odgers Berndtson, one of the world's top five executive search and organizational leadership firms, today announced that Alexander G. Thomson, a prominent search consultant specializing in the financial services industry, has joined the firm as a Partner in its Boston office and head of its U.S. Asset Management practice, effective immediately.

Mr. Thomson has more than 16 years experience as an executive recruiter, conducting domestic and international "C Level" searches for clients across the asset management spectrum including real estate, debt, and equity investment. At Odgers Berndtson, where he reports to Managing Partner Steve Potter, he will continue to conduct search assignments for clients in this sector, while also leading the broader expansion of the U.S. asset management practice.

"Alex is one of the most well-respected and most knowledgeable executive search specialists within the asset management industry, and we are exceptionally advantaged to have him lead our team," said Mr. Potter. "His keen insights into the asset management business and strong relationships with its current and up-and-coming leaders ensure that he continually identifies candidates with the right experiences, competencies, and vision to be strong performers for our clients today and tomorrow."

Mr. Potter added: "Alex will play a significant role in our aggressive U.S. growth plans. He and the other practice heads will be instrumental in building a culture committed to providing clients with access to the widest applicable talent pool, one that is free from the typical behaviors that impede other firms from putting the best possible candidates forward every time, such as "off-limits" arrangements, individual candidate blockages (so-called "candidate stacking"), and internal talent queuing. Our clients and the candidates with whom we work deserve nothing less than our best thinking every time."

Mr. Thomson worked for 12 years at recruiting firm Russell Reynolds, lastly as a Managing Director, before joining Odgers Berndtson. During his tenure there, he conducted searches for clients of the firm's Asset & Wealth Management, Real Estate, and Endowment & Foundation practices. He had earlier served as Co-Practice Head of the Investment Management group at Whitehead Mann and was a Partner in the Investment Management practice at Pendleton James Associates.

Prior to his career in executive search, Mr. Thomson was Vice President and Team Leader in the Real Estate Investment Banking Division at Shawmut Bank in Boston. Earlier, he was a real estate development project manager with Old Stone Development Corporation. He began his career as a Marketing Manager with Fleet National Bank.

Mr. Thomson is a graduate of Wesleyan University, where he currently serves as an Alumni Volunteer, assessing potential applicants for the University.

ABOUT ODGERS BERNDTSON IN THE U.S.

Odgers Berndtson is one of the world's top five executive search and organizational leadership firms, with more than 210 partners managing client engagements from offices in 50 cities across 28 countries and five continents. Its diverse team of experienced executive search consultants in the U.S. provides executive search, leadership consulting, and candidate assessment services to organizations in an equally broad range of industries and sectors, both here and abroad. They have the depth and breadth of experience and knowledge to serve all the major industrial sectors, with particularly strong market expertise and penetration in: financial services, including alternative investments, asset management, investment banking, and venture capital; technology, information and communications; healthcare and life sciences; mining; consumer products and services; media and entertainment; and sports. For more information, please see www.odgersberndtson.com.

 

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