Heidrick & Struggles adds new partner Laryssa Topolnytsky
Heidrick & Struggles, a Chicago-headquartered executive search and HR consulting firm, has added Laryssa Topolnytsky, PhD, as a partner in its Toronto office.
Topolnytsky brings two decades of human capital consulting experience to Heidrick & Struggles’ (H&S) consulting business, where she will serve as Americas lead for the CEO and board practice.
A seasoned talent expert, Topolnytsky focuses on engagements relating to CEO succession, board effectiveness, and executive team development.
She joins H&S from Korn Ferry, where she spent the last 15 years. She most recently served as a senior partner in the CEO and board effectiveness practice, and previously led the firm’s Canadian advisory business.
Earlier in her career, Topolnytsky spent five years at Mercer, where she was a senior consultant in the firm’s Toronto office. At Mercer, Topolnytsky worked on executive-led change initiatives, advising on motivation and retention, leadership development programs, and benchmarking.
She has co-authored a book on employee retention and written numerous peer-reviewed articles on employee commitment and organizational change. Topolnytsky is also a frequent keynote speaker on the above topics, as well as on the advancement of women in the workplace.
She holds doctorate and master’s degrees in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of Western Ontario, as well as a bachelor’s degree from Huron University College.
"Our clients are seeking to attract top talent and leadership to create even greater alignment within their organizations to help them realize their strategic goals in a challenging and ever-changing market environment," said Jaimee Eddington, regional leader for the Americas at H&S. "Laryssa brings a wide range of skills in advising leaders and boards to help clients navigate new and complex opportunities and accelerate their business performance."
The consulting firm also welcomed three other new hires across its global operations: Kelley Brack Jamison, partner, Los Angeles; Laura Gironda, principal, San Francisco; and Marcelo Conteçote, principal, Sao Paulo.
"These new consultants bring relevant skills and perspectives that will allow them to provide timely and impactful strategic counsel to our clients as they work to enhance leadership skills and cultivate cultures to unleash even greater growth potential," said Andrew LeSueur, global managing partner of Heidrick Consulting.
In business since 1953, H&S’ core offering is executive search – with expertise across functions and a range of industries. The firm also has complementary services in leadership assessment and development, succession planning, culture shaping, organizational design, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
