June 6, 2024 – Leadership advisory firm Egon Zehnder has appointed serial entrepreneur and board member Dave Parker as the new CEO of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) in Alexandria, Virginia. Parker’s appointment follows a months-long global search led by a committee appointed by EO’s Global Board of Directors that began with Egon Zehnder’s selection last July. Lynn Anstett, chair of EO’s Global Board of Directors and member of EO Cincinnati, introduced Parker to members gathered last month at the annual Global Leadership Conference in Singapore, where 1,800 members came together for training, inspiration and connection for chapter officers.
“In Dave, we feel we’ve found the ideal blend of voice and vision to propel us forward into 2030,” Anstett said. “His clear passion for entrepreneurship and extensive experience and thought leadership on the founder’s journey align well with our commitment to clear strategic direction and operational excellence for our EO member community.”
“Dave’s diverse experience on corporate boards particularly attracted us, as EO’s all-member volunteer board sees annual membership turnover,” said Jamie Pujara, EO’s incoming Global Chair and an EO member from Kenya who is in his third and final year as a trustee of the organization. “I am confident that all EO member leaders who serve the organization through their membership on the Global Board will greatly benefit from his extensive board experience and continuity in his role.”
Parker has over 30 years of experience as a founder and director of startups and learning organizations around the world. A five-time technology company founder himself, Parker has sold three startups and closed two during his entrepreneurial career spanning over 30 years. Companies he founded include Trajectory Media, OneAccord Partners, and License Online. Parker also worked with underrepresented founders as a venture capitalist with Fearless Fund, investing in women founders of color across the United States. He has served on the boards of dozens of companies and nonprofits since 2000, and has mentored organizations such as the Washington Technology Industry Association, Guidant Financial Group, Find Ventures, AudiencePoint, and Code Fellows.
As CEO, Parker will lead EO’s fully remote team of more than 160 full-time professional staff from 20 countries serving approximately 19,000 members in its global membership network. He will oversee how the nonprofit executes on its newly board-approved 2030 strategic direction, leveraging member dues to enhance connection, learning, and continued development as influential leaders and leaders.
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“Working at EO feels like an extension of what I’ve been doing for the last 15 years – building the startup community – but on a bigger stage,” says Parker. “I believe entrepreneurs have the power to change the world. We’re crazy people, and if we weren’t, we wouldn’t take on the challenges it takes to start a new business and leave a legacy. This is an amazing opportunity to work in an amazing community.”
EO is the world’s largest membership network for entrepreneurs worldwide. Since 1987, EO has been helping the world’s leading business builders realize their further potential by fostering connections, applying leadership skills, and cultivating a sense of belonging across industries and borders.
Top 5 Search Companies
Egon Zehnder is currently ranked among the top five executive search firms in the world according to Hunt Scanlon Media. With more than 500 consultants in 68 offices in 40 countries around the world, Egon Zehnder works with public and private companies, family-owned businesses, nonprofits and government agencies providing board advisory services, CEO and leadership succession planning, executive search and assessment, and leadership development solutions. Since 1964, the firm has been at the forefront of defining top leadership, facing changing economic conditions and major shifts in the executive search field.
Egon Zehnder recently appointed Francesco Buquicchio as its new CEO, effective November 1. He will succeed Edilson Camara following a strategic leadership transition and succession planning process. Buquicchio will be the seventh CEO in Egon Zehnder’s 60-year history. The process to nominate a new CEO was led by Chairman Michael Ensar with the support of the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee, and also included input from across the partnership. “We thank Ed for his leadership over the past six years. Ed has built a strong foundation to accelerate the firm’s growth, and we are pleased to announce that he will remain with the firm and return to his client work,” said Ensar. “As we enter our 70th year, Francesco will leverage our expertise in identifying leaders, developing leadership, enabling change, succession planning and driving governance to create a more distinctive client and candidate experience and prioritize innovation, sustainability and long-term value creation.”
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Contributors: Scott A. Scanlon (Editor in Chief), Dale M. Zupsanski (Editor in Chief), Lily Fauber (Senior Editor) – Hunt Scanlon Media
