Korn/Ferry Hires Kistler for Global Push

LONDON-Korn/Ferry International, an executive search firm based in Los Angeles, has expanded its global real estate reach by hiring William Kistler. The 30-year professional, based here, was formerly president, EMEA and India for Urban Land Institute.

Anthony LoPinto, senior client and real estate practice head at Korn/Ferry, tells GlobeSt.com that the hire should show that his firm is focused on establishing the dominate global real estate practice. “We feel very good about our side of the business. The depth and breadth of the restructuring going on is so significant. You’ve got consolidations, companies gone upside-down, firms bringing in new financial teams and CEOs, etc. The range of change in the organization level is quite consequential.”

Kistler tells GlobeSt.com that the consolidation is especially heating up in the world arena. “From a European perspective, companies here want to compete on a global scale, so to do that they need to scale up, with mergers or acquisitions. The downturn also forced firms to find partners to be more competitive,” he says.

Whereas traditionally, companies could say they were global by keeping offices here and in New York City, borders today have virtually vanished today, Kistler says. “Today, you’ve got firms in Spain doing business in Poland,” he says.

Kistler says the timing is right; with the economy turning around, there’s going to be opportunities at senior levels. “What’s changed in the industry is a combination of a pent-up demand and the transformation of the profile of people running businesses, the nature of leadership in the realm of operations such as private equity, investment management and even REITs. As the market recovers and real estate organizations begin to rebuild and capitalize on emerging opportunities, human capital management will be a top priority,” he says.