Founding Director of Fisher Leadership, Jo Fisher, Launches New Gig Executive Business and Strategic Advisory Practice

Fisher Leadership announces Founder and Director Jo Fisher is joining forces with HR advisory and leadership specialist Michelle Loader of Advancity to expand the reach and services of the firm.

Joining the well-established Managing Partners of Liz Jones and Andrew Norton are Gabriel Edwards of Engaging People and Jason Kuner, client solutions expert, to head up the new Gig Executive business.

The Executive Search business will remain a core competency strengthened by the new Strategic Advisory and Gig Executive practices offering wrap around solutions for executives impacting the future of work. Former Chandler Macleod CEO, Michelle Loader, will assume the role of MD across the three businesses.

Jo Fisher says they are driven to face disruption in the industry head on, sharpening their focus on bringing more diversity to the decision-making table at Board level.

“We were one of the first firms to insist on gender diversity in our selection processes and have since impacted leadership in cultural and linguistic diversity significantly. Today I remain committed to advocating for greater cognitive diversity – or diversity of thought – on boards to actualise social and commercial value amidst accelerated change” she says.

The addition of a new Managing Director signals momentum in the firm’s growth and integration of the Advisory and Gig Executive practices into local and global markets.

Michelle Loader notes, “Fisher Leadership is known for being out in front of the field. The way we are reframing leadership and mapping workforce solutions with augmentation, automation and future jobs in mind, is really about two things – one: being great listeners and two: being great partners delivering strategic executive solutions for the future.”

The ownership group consists of a mix of long-standing specialists collaborating with new talent who bring diversified skills to the Search team.

Chairman Leon Lau is a human resources technology pioneer who founded Peoplebank and has always understood the need for a startup mentality within big business. As a shareholder in the firm, Leon brings a global mindset with experience in the Asia Pacific region, Leon says, “I’m delighted with the way the team here see disruption as opportunity, and shift gears to meet it head on.”

Gabriel Edwards, a well-known leader within the people strategy space, says the new partnership is born of values alignment and a commitment to making a real difference to the executive journey. “I will certainly continue to provide quality, bespoke support to high profile leaders and teams as I’ve done for 14 years, but now with the power of all stages of the executive value chain operating in sync.”

Liz Jones and Andrew Norton who lead the Health, Independent Schools and Higher Education and Research teams agree, with Liz noting “This business has always been about relationships, and the changes simply enable us to build executive solutions with a more integrated approach.”

The continued focus on exceptional candidate care overlaid with the long-standing commitment to executive diversity will underpin new products and services across Executive Search, Strategic Advisory, Leadership Transition and Gig Executive talent.

Fisher Leadership’s new MD, Michelle Loader says “Jo will continue her specialisation in Board and C-Suite Search and Advisory. With a record number of searches happening right now across four countries, a growing cohort of Gig Executives being placed at speed in progressive workplaces every single day and a suite of new, future-oriented advisory solutions, Jo is as excited as the rest of the team about shaping a better tomorrow.”