Demystifying the Executive Hiring Process

Executive Hiring happens in lots of different ways. To be a successful candidate one needs to be able to identify and understand the broad characteristics of the hiring process as well as how to navigate it successfully. Who are the key players? Where does the power lie in each individual organisation, with HR, with the Line Manager? And how can you figure this out? What are the common stumbling blocks executive candidates face? How can you position yourself for success?

In addition, for executive candidates, networking is the key to identifying opportunities and is a non-negotiable when activating your strategic career plan. Understanding the role intermediaries such as Executive Search firms can play is critical, but how do they work? And how are they assessing you?

These are just some of the questions our panel will help you to understand in this ‘insights from the experts’ session. Together, our panel will help debunk some of the common myths and misconceptions around the executive hiring process, helping you make more informed decisions as you pursue your career goals.

Our Panel

Hugo Nanninga – Egon Zehnder

Hugo Nanninga, based in London, leads Egon Zehnder’s Global Legal, Regulatory & Compliance Professionals Practice. He has extensive experience advising companies across all sectors on legal professional succession and general development of their legal talent. Hugo is also a key member of the firm’s Consumer and Financial Officers practices, working closely with clients while providing services from executive and board search to executive assessment and development across Europe and the UK.

Before joining Egon Zehnder, Hugo was an Associate in the corporate practice of the Clifford Chance LLP law firm in Amsterdam, where he counseled clients on cross-border public and private M&A transactions, joint ventures, restructuring, and corporate governance.

Hugo earned an LLM (Master of Laws) from Erasmus University, in Rotterdam, and an MBA from London Business School. In his private life, he is passionate about his family, sports, travel, and music of every kind.

Margarita Koshman – Korn Ferry

Margarita Koshman is a Senior Client Partner in London office. She works in Consumer and CEO Succession practices. Margarita helps the clients to hire the best executives to deal with current business challenges and ambitions. She is also passionate about assisting business owners and Board of Directors to build sustainable CEO succession planning in order to avoid costly leadership disruptions.

Margarita has over 15 years of experience in the global leading executive search/leadership advisory firms, built upon 10 years in various management roles mostly in consumer industry.

Margarita is the author of numerous articles about leadership, including publications in Forbes and Harvard Business Review. She has also published a book ‘Career without Boundaries’ (Alpina Pro, 2022, in Russian).

Margarita holds an M.Sc. in Economics, with Honors, from Novosibirsk State University and earned an MBA from London Business School. She is a certified Executive Coach (Meyler Campbell).

Margarita founded The London Business School Alumni Club of Russia in 2003 and has served as its chair for seven years. In her private life, she gets energy and inspiration from spending quality time with her family and friends, reading books, engaging with theatre and music, traveling and various sports, including 6 half-marathons.