Heidrick & Struggles, one of the premier providers of executive search, global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions, has appointed Kati Najipoor-Smith as Regional Co-Managing Partner, CEO & Board Practice, for Europe and Africa. Based at the Firm’s office in Frankfurt, Germany, Kati brings decades of global executive search and consulting experience to the Heidrick & Struggles team to support boards and CEOs in navigating complex leadership challenges.
Kati began her executive search career at Egon Zehnder in 1999, where she led Global Automotive and later the Global CEO Practice over several years. She advises chairs and CEOs of publicly traded, family-owned, and private-equity-backed companies across sectors and regions, focusing on building effective and strong boards and senior leadership teams. With a global network and extensive experience in CEO transitions, including many visible placements, Kati collaborates closely with boards to ensure robust, objective, and confidential succession processes, including the development of future CEOs.
Speaking about her appointment with Heidrick & Struggles, Kati Najipoor-Smith said: “In this era of unprecedented uncertainty and complexity, business leaders are under immense pressure and the quality of leadership – at both board and C-Suite levels – is being tested like never before. With that in mind, I am excited to join Heidrick & Struggles and to work alongside a highly qualified and diverse consulting team, combining human-centric insight with fact-based, analytical rigour to support our clients’ most critical leadership decisions.”
Jenni Hibbert, Heidrick & Struggles’ Global Managing Partner Go-To-Market and Regional Leader, Europe & Africa, added: “We are very pleased to welcome Kati to Heidrick & Struggles, where I look forward to working with her as she brings her unique talent and experience to bear to make a meaningful impact on our clients across the region.”
Kati spent several years in management consultancies including Roland Berger and at FEV Group, one of the leading engineering services firms. She holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Aachen in Germany, an MSc in mechanical engineering from the University of California, and a BSc in mechanical engineering from the University of Portland.
Kati is a frequent speaker and panel guest on leadership topics and is often invited to provide global perspectives on leadership. She also co-founded a private network of senior female executives 10 years ago to support female leaders’ advancement.
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