Russell Reynolds Associates Enhances Technology Practice

Russell Reynolds Associates has announced that Jeff Yolen and Başak Ozer have joined the firm’s Technology Practice. The new additions to the team, both based in Boston, will build on Russell Reynolds Associates’ expertise in the technology sector.

Jeff Yolen leads Russell Reynolds Associates’ Software Practice on the East Coast. His work focuses on software, mobile and digital assignments for companies based across the U.S. and abroad. He works with publicly traded companies, and with private equity, growth equity, and venture capital firms to recruit senior leaders to their portfolio companies.

Prior to joining the firm, Jeff was an executive search leader focused on C-level and other executive searches for software and internet clients. Before that, Jeff spearheaded the U.S. practice for a leading executive search boutique in Europe. Earlier in his career, Jeff spent over 15 years as a software, internet and mobile executive and investor. He was Chief Revenue Officer of digital media startup Sphere, which was acquired by AOL, where he served as Vice President. 

Başak Ozer advises Fortune 500 organization on innovation and talent, with particular emphasis on recruiting high-impact leaders with expertise in the areas of IoT, mobile, digital, transformation, wearables, consumer internet and big data. She also works closely with private equity and venture capital firms to recruit senior leaders to their portfolio companies.

Başak has an extensive background as a high-technology entrepreneur, executive and investor. She has founded and grown venture-backed startups and led divisions at global corporations. Başak joined the firm from a boutique strategy consulting firm that she founded, where she served European and U.S.-based clients in the high-tech, IoT, health and biotechnology industries.

Prior to that, Başak was the Global Head of Mobile Applications at Nokia, where she led a business unit that leveraged big data for conceptualizing, developing and marketing mobile apps for the IoT market. Before that, she was an executive team member at two venture-backed big data startups: Tele Atlas (acquired by TomTom) and Quattro Wireless (acquired by Apple). In both cases, as Chief Product Officer, Başak hired and led cross-functional teams, launched numerous successful products and services and was instrumental in each company’s exponential growth and successful exit.