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New appointments bring strategic expertise to support the company’s next phase of growth
CHICAGOJune 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Heidrick & Struggles today announced the appointment of Aseem Datar, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft AI Platform and Quantum Business, and Leanne Wood, former Chief Human Resources Officer of Vodafone, as members of its Board of Directors (the company’s governance body). These appointments follow the recent designation of Tom Monahan, who continues as CEO of Heidrick & Struggles, as Vice Chair of the Board, and the appointment of Tom Murray, President of Heidrick & Struggles, as a Board member. These appointments further strengthen the Board’s expertise in technology, leadership, talent, and enterprise transformation, positioning the company well for its next phase of growth as a private enterprise.
Datar and Wood bring deep expertise in technological innovation, leadership, enterprise transformation, and global business strategy, which will support Heidrick & Struggles in advancing its long-term global growth strategy and leadership advisory capabilities.
Tom Monahan, CEO and Vice Chair of the Board of Heidrick & Struggles, said: “We are delighted to welcome Aseem and Leanne to the Board. The professional capabilities our Board brings together are precisely the forces reshaping leadership and business today. Aseem’s experience at the forefront of AI innovation and enterprise technology, combined with Leanne’s exceptional leadership in talent, culture, and enterprise transformation, will provide invaluable perspectives as we continue to invest in innovation and help our clients navigate increasingly complex global leadership challenges.”
Datar currently serves as Corporate Vice President of Microsoft AI Platform and Quantum Business, responsible for the company’s strategy and execution in cutting-edge AI and next-generation computing. With over two decades at Microsoft, he has held various senior leadership roles in business and product strategy, operations, and cloud and AI platform growth (including Chief Operating Officer of Microsoft Azure), driving the scaling of several of the company’s core businesses. Additionally, he has experience working with emerging technology and venture-backed companies during his tenure at Madrona Venture Group.
Wood is a highly accomplished global business and board executive with extensive experience in talent strategy, enterprise transformation, and corporate governance. She previously served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Vodafone, leading global talent and enterprise transformation initiatives across a workforce of over 100,000 employees and operations spanning Europe and Africa. She has also held senior global leadership roles at Burberry and Diageo, driving complex business transformations, leadership succession, and corporate culture development. Furthermore, she brings substantial board experience, having served as Chair of Vodafone Shared Operations Limited and as a non-executive director for Compass Group and Vodacom Africa.
Carmine Di Sibio, Chair of the Board of Heidrick & Struggles, said: “Following Heidrick & Struggles’ transition to a private company, attracting world-class executives to our Board remains a top priority as we continue to strengthen our market leadership. Aseem and Leanne bring highly relevant and extensive experience in technological innovation, talent leadership, and enterprise transformation, and will provide valuable guidance as we continue to innovate and deliver value for our global clients.”
At the end of 2025, Heidrick completed its privatization transaction, led by Advent International, Corvex Private Equity, and numerous global strategic investors. Since then, the company’s Board has been composed of company leadership, investor representatives, and independent business executives. The Board is chaired by Carmine Di Sibio, Operating Partner at Advent International and former Global Chairman and CEO of EY. Tom Monahan, CEO of Heidrick & Struggles, was recently appointed Vice Chair of the Board; Tom Murray, President of Heidrick & Struggles, was recently appointed as a director. Other Board members include: Joe Costa, Managing Partner of Corvex Private Equity; John DiCola, Managing Director at Advent; Mark Dirzulaitis, Director at Advent; and Chris Satti, President of Salem Capital Management. Chris Egan, Managing Partner at Advent, and Paul Yun, Managing Director at Mousse Partners, serve as Board observers.
About Heidrick & Struggles
Heidrick & Struggles is a leading global executive leadership advisory firm, helping clients achieve outstanding performance through best-in-class human capital leadership advisory services. For over 70 years, we have leveraged unparalleled expertise to help organizations discover and develop exceptional leaders and teams, creating value for our clients. For more information, please visit www.heidrick.com.