This month I celebrate twenty years in executive search and I have so much to be grateful for! It’s been an exciting year for us at Cornerstone. Companies continue to trust us with new and larger executive search engagements, and we are on pace for another record year of growth. I’m humbled by that confidence […]
executive search
Why Executive Searches Go Wrong – Four Warning Signs
The warning signs an experienced search partner catches early, and what hiring organizations can do about them. This article draws on a Cornerstone International Group roundtable on earning the right to advise, featuring Antonio Cassano (Cornerstone International Italia), Samuel Dergel (Cornerstone Montreal), Dan Heiman (Global President, Cornerstone International Group), and Göran Jansson (Cornerstone Nordics), moderated […]
Executive Search Across Borders
Strengthening U.S. Leadership for Horn Technologies The Company Horn Technologies designs and supplies equipment for phosphine application, fumigation process control, and gas monitoring technology that helps agricultural, mining, and chemical operations become safer, more traceable, and more efficient. Headquartered near Santiago, Chile, the family-founded company has built a strong reputation across Latin America. As its […]
Executive Recruiting Explained: 12 Questions Business Leaders Ask Before Starting A Retained Search
Retained executive search and executive recruiting can feel unfamiliar if you have never worked with an executive search firm, or if you are deciding whether outside support is the right approach for an important leadership hire. To help demystify the executive recruitment process, we asked Dan Heiman, owner of Cornerstone Executive Search and a retained […]
Press Release: Cornerstone Strengthens African Leadership Talent Footprint with Official Johannesburg Office Launch
Johannesburg, South Africa — May 6, 2026 — Cornerstone, the world’s only global talent consulting group with dual headquarters in the U.S. and China, today announced the official opening of its Johannesburg office—a strategic hub to expand its retained executive search and Talent Advisory practice across South Africa and the broader African continent. This milestone deepens […]
Trusting Your Gut in Executive Hiring
She’s the one. Just when I thought I’ve talked to every HR leader in this city … and you found her? Unbelievable job. She’s the one. You watch. Those were my exact words when I walked into the office of my Director of Executive Recruiting after I interviewed an HR executive for one of our […]
Shooting 3s in March: A Lesson from March Madness & Executive Search
Three-point shooting changes games in March Madness. Recently, we came close to hitting three of our own in a single executive search, and it was a powerful reminder of why the strength of a candidate slate matters so much. Every March, like millions of people across the country, I find myself drawn into the chaos […]
The Offer Is the First Act of Leadership
In executive search, most of the attention goes to sourcing the right candidate and guiding organizations through the interview process. Those steps matter, of course. But in many leadership searches, the most sensitive moment comes at the very end. The offer stage. After weeks or months of conversations, alignment, and evaluation, the organization and the […]
AI at Work: What I Recently Learned from HR Leaders
I was recently invited to participate in an AI Roundtable with my peers from Cornerstone International Group. We had participation from four continents to discuss the question, “How are organizations using AI beyond the headlines?” To be clear, I live somewhere between experimental and operational AI user today. On one hand, I die a little […]
Succession Planning Reimagined for 2026
A CEO retires. A VP gives three weeks’ notice. A critical role sits open while the business keeps moving anyway. Most organizations don’t realize they have a succession problem until it is already painful. As we begin a new year with fresh budgets and strategic priorities, succession planning can no longer live on the “we’ll […]
Search Stories: Who Will You Impact This Year?
Just before Christmas, our team gathered for our 2026 annual meeting. Our owners finalized the 10-year vision for the firm and there was a lot of excitement in the room, especially coming off consecutive record growth years. Before sharing our collective goals, growth plans and team presentations for year one of this vision, our owners […]
A New Year’s Resolution That Will Last All Year
“I wish I had this for my team at my last organization. It would have explained so much and helped me be a better leader!” These were my thoughts after taking the Six Types of Working Genius assessment. At different points throughout my career, I could never fully wrap my arms around why some days I […]
