Trusted by the nation's top private equity firms & Fortune 1000 companies.
We place strategy leaders who align vision, execution, and growth.
Chief Strategy Officers (CSOs) and other strategy leaders play a pivotal role in shaping an organization’s future and driving sustainable growth. These executives are responsible for developing, communicating, and executing comprehensive strategic plans that align with the company’s vision and objectives.
ECA’s roots lie in management consulting. We understand exactly what is at stake when a company makes its first strategy hire – such as a Chief of Staff or Senior Director of Strategy – or decides to bring in a new Chief Strategy Officer to spearhead a company-wide transformation. ECA has extensive experience placing individual contributor roles where the ability to influence without authority is essential, as well as building out entire strategy teams at large public companies.
ECA Partners leverages deep connections within the consulting industry to publish an annual compensation study that also explores qualitative motivations – for example, most professionals leaving MBB firms are willing to take a slight pay cut, but the key question for top performers is what for? Our executive search process identifies the best strategic thinkers who are also the right cultural fit for your organization. Through a structured, three-step vetting process, we assess each candidate’s ability to get hands-on, lead from the front, achieve consensus, and align with your unique priorities for the role.
Our Areas of Expertise.
We deliver top executive talent and flexible consulting solutions across high-growth industries.
SECTORS
Private Equity Firms & Portcos
We match PE investors with leaders who unlock value.
Healthcare
ECA places leaders who drive growth, compliance, and better care.
Business Services
ECA places leaders who unlock efficiency & growth in service models.
Industrials & Natural Resources
We find the savviest operators to optimize manufacturing businesses.
Consumer & Retail
We identify executives who grow consumer brands and market presence.
Technology
From SaaS to AI, we recruit leaders driving innovation and scale.
Financial Services
ECA secures agile financial leaders to navigate shifting markets.
Meet your Practice Leads
Olivia Hanninen, PhD
Senior Director
Olivia is a Senior Director at ECA Partners specializing in Chief Strategy Officer and Strategy leadership search. She partners with boards and CEOs to recruit CSOs, Heads of Strategy, and enterprise strategy leaders who set vision, build data-driven roadmaps, and convert insight into growth. Olivia leads ECA’s Human Capital Practice and is known for rigorous assessment and stakeholder alignment. She holds a PhD in History from the University of California, Irvine, an MA from University College London, and a first-class BA from King’s College London.
Zach Jones
Senior Director
Zach is Senior Director of Consulting Solutions at ECA Partners specializing in interim and project-based talent for Chief Strategy Officer and enterprise-strategy roles. He partners with Fortune 1000 and investor-backed companies to deploy CSOs, Heads of Strategy, and senior consultants who define vision, build data-driven roadmaps, and lead complex transformations. Before ECA, he led Search & Talent Strategy at Phenom Consulting and was a Senior Consultant at Huxley Associates. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Penn State University and is a former Teach For America corps member.
Have a role you'd like to discuss?
Have a chief strategy officer / strategy leader role you’d like to discuss?
Reach out. We'd be delighted to learn about your hiring goals.
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