At Cowen Partners, our experienced executive search consultants offer an array of services to meet the needs of modern businesses. Our executive consulting services include (and are not limited to):
We work with leading organizations across the private and public sectors. Our scale, scope, and knowledge allow us to address problems that no one else can. We have deep strategic industry expertise as well as geographical reach. We are passionate about taking on immense challenges that matter to our clients and their stakeholders.
Our Consulting CFO’s create value and drive growth while bringing out the capabilities of client teams to fully participate in the process and lead the ongoing work. Our consultants strike a balance between a cultural fit and working with executive management, the supervisory committee and the board of directors.
Finding a “strategic” CFO capable of navigating the financial reporting and, performance requirements, and inherent risks of SMB’s while driving growth, creating value and efficiencies can be a challenge. The increased demand of this unique skillset along with regulatory risk means full time strategic expertise may be cost prohibitive where the CFO position is focused primarily on the technical day-to-day accounting.
Serving on the board of directors of a company is a tremendous honor, but now it’s also a tremendous responsibility and comes with personal risks like never before. Due to legislation and regulations stemming from corporate fraud at Enron, WorldCom, and banks such as Buckhead Community Bank and Integrity Bank, board members are now under scrutiny, particularly their role in the oversight of financial reporting and corporate governance practices. Board members must be informed and engaged. Directors are charged to represent the interest of the company’s shareholders. Failure can result in damage to a person’s reputation and personal liability. The risks are not limited to directors of large public companies. Recent legislation applies to publicly held companies, but not-for-profit entities and other companies are increasingly held to similar standards.
Reasons to Engage a Consulting CFO
Full time, experienced CFO’s are expensive and hard to find
CFO’s create value, drive growth and efficiency, understand operations, and mitigate risks
CFO’s wear many hats, stretched thin by growth expectations and compliance
Accounting is not finance, finance drives growth while accounting is day-to-day
Interim CFO’s maintain and create growth opportunities while preventing downtime
New CFO mentoring prevents “rookie” mistakes while providing a value add
In addition to the above, Cowen Partners offers a variety of high level interim and stop gap solutions for our clients.
Board Consulting Services
When built effectively and run efficiently, corporate Boards are a strategic asset and a source of continuous competitive advantage. A Board with a portfolio of competencies and intellectual capital aligned with your organization’s toughest strategic and operational challenges will deliver the edge to drive continuous shareholder return.
Board Recruitment
With pressure on boards relentless and growing from shareholders, regulators, and the media — expectations are high. Proven top leadership is a powerful strategic asset, and there is no room for error in the selection of directors.
Analysis of required board competencies
Identify non-conflicting director candidates
Establish an appropriate timeline for the search
We work closely with Boards to understand strategy, culture, composition and the skills needed and then partner with our colleagues with deep industry expertise – including diversity, technology, and finance to identify the right candidate.
Board Succession Planning
Few events carry greater risk to shareholder value than a change of leadership. Boards that excel at board succession are prepared to meet future challenges without disruption. Cowen Partner’s approach includes:
Analysis of required board competencies
Development of director profiles to ensure gaps are filled and competencies are retained
Establish an appropriate timeline for board refreshment
Board Effectiveness
Boards that are recognized as being highly effective in their structure and makeup, oversight process, and culture and value have become the standard to which every board aspires. Cowen Partners’ Board Effectiveness Consulting practice uses a forward-looking process that is focused on the assessment and potential improvement of the board to meet that standard. Cowen Partners focuses on the following elements to accelerate the effectiveness of boards:
Strategic Alignment
Composition and Structure
Team Dynamics
Director Effectiveness
CEO Search Services
Guided by a client’s objectives we create an ideal CEO profile, against which we assess available candidates, also bench marking them against best in class CEO’s and research on the constellation of traits that correlate with success.
Analysis of required CEO competencies
Benchmark against best in class CEO’s
Establish an appropriate timeline for the search
CEO Succession Planning
Clients understand how important it is to be prepared. Our comprehensive approach is process and not event driven. We focus on identifying both internal and external sources of near term CEO’s who align with strategic objectives, and longer term on developing generations of internal successors.
Analysis of required CEO competencies
Focus on both near term and longer term strategic objectives
Identify both internal and external sources of viable candidates
Executive Compensation Analysis
Executive pay is under the spotlight like never before. Heavily scrutinized not only by company shareholders but also the media, employees, suppliers, and customers. Non-Executive Directors responsible for setting executive pay need access to experienced advisers who can provide the information, analysis, and above all the judgement to help them make the right decisions for their business to remain competitive.
Identify executive competencies and company objectives
Analyze available market data and industry standards
Calculate market average and compare to company objectives
Additional Staffing and Consulting Services Available
Cowen Partners maintains a multi million dollar payroll service to support the needs of large Clients. If you have any addition staffing, RPO or contractor needs, please do not hesitate to reach out. Our experienced staff have done everything from implementing entire recruiting teams and systems to building large temporary work forces.
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