Robson comes to U.S. Autoparts with proven performance in raising capital, structuring complex financing transactions and providing financial oversight leadership. Most recently, he served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Chief Administrative Officer for Mervyns. At Mervyns, Robson developed and drove plans for operational efficiencies and also led efforts to launch the company’s first e-commerce website. During his tenure at Mervyns, he was one of a small team of executives that lead efforts to raise capital and reorganize the business through Chapter 11. Previously, he served as the Senior Vice President of Finance and Principal Accounting Officer at Guitar Center, Inc., and as the Chief Operating Officer at Pacific Products.

Robson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, accounting and finance from the University of Southern California and is a certified public accountant in the State of California.

Taylor Winfield was tasked with finding a veteran financial officer who could creatively guide the company to profitable growth and market leadership while protecting and representing the interests of the shareholders. In addition to Robson’s deep experience across all aspects of financial management, he is known for his innovative thinking and the ability to challenge the status quo.

U.S. Autoparts is a leading online provider of aftermarket auto parts. For more information, please visit www.usautoparts.net.

Ms Kate Kennedy takes up her position on 13 February. With 20 years’ leadership experience in the private, government and not for profit sectors, Kate has acquired a deep understanding of how to create and advance organisations and programs that deal with global and local disadvantage. Her work has included strategy, grants management and partnership-based capital raising. Most recently she was Head of Strategic Projects in the CEO’s office at World Vision Australia, where she worked for six years. Prior to that she was Program Director at the Pratt Foundation for some years, and she also founded goodcompany, an organisation that seeks to inspire, educate and link volunteer professionals to the community sector. Kate founded and then led the organisation for nine years while also working long hours in her ‘day jobs’.

Other volunteer roles apart from her involvement in goodcompany include being a non-executive director of community organisations such as MacKillop Family Services, the Mirabel Foundation and Jesuit Publications.

She graduated BA from Monash University with majors in English Literature and Sociology.

Kate’s extensive experience and networks will enable Hagar Australia to expand significantly its support for Hagar’s work in the field, in countries like Cambodia, Vietnam and Afghanistan. She will take up her appointment on 13 February 2012.

Founding Partner of EuroGalenus Luis Truchado, explained: “We could see a tremendous opportunity in joining forces with a specialized firm such as Medical Finders. The synergies are obvious and our clients in the Healthcare market will now get the best from two leading firms. Furthermore, next spring we will celebrate 20 years of very successful operation and this is a great way to prepare for the next 20!”

Dr. Julián Ruíz Ferrán, Managing Partner of Medical Finders declared: “We have built a solid and well-reputed practice for the past four years and it was a natural step to integrate with EuroGalenus, widely considered as one of the leading European Executive search firms specialized in the Healthcare field.”

Medical Finders will integrate into the structure of EuroGalenus as a Division, thus benefiting from the membership with Penrhyn International, a global network with offices in all continents and also from membership into the AESC, the retained executive search Association with 17 approved members in Spain.

HINDALCO (US $ 16 billion) is an industry leader in aluminium & copper and also the metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group. It is also the world’s largest aluminium rolling company and one of the biggest producers of primary aluminium in Asia. Its copper smelter is the world’s largest custom smelter at a single location. Established in 1958, Hindalco commissioned their aluminium facility at Renukoot in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India in 1962. Later acquisitions and mergers, with Indal, Birla Copper and the Nifty and Mt. Gordon copper mines in Australia, strengthened their position in value-added alumina, aluminium and copper products. The acquisition of Novelis Inc. in 2007 positioned the company among the top five aluminium majors worldwide and the largest vertically integrated aluminium company in India. Today HINDALCO is a metals powerhouse with high-end rolling capabilities and a global footprint in 13 countries.

Eleanor M. Joy, Chair of the Board stated:  “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am very pleased to announce that Allister Byrne, FCA will be the CICBV’s President & CEO, effective January 1, 2012.  Allister comes to us from Grant Thornton, where he was a Partner of the Firm and held a number of leadership roles, including Office Managing Partner, two terms as a Member on his Firm’s Partnership Board, Chair of the Firm’s CEO Search Committee and Practice Leader of the Firm’s Ontario Municipal/NPO Practice Group.

Throughout this career, Allister has been actively involved with the CICA, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO), and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nova Scotia (ICANS). Allister was made a Fellow of the ICANS in 1993 and a Fellow of the ICAO in 2000. Allister has also been involved with a number of not-for-profit organizations, including March of Dimes, Canadian Rehabilitation for the Disabled, Neptune Theatre Foundation, Markham Stouffville Hospital Foundation and the York Region Community Foundation.

As our new President & CEO, Allister will bring a balance of seasoned leadership, a unique knowledge of and experience with similar professional associations, a collaborative style, and a high level of energy and enthusiasm.”

Raju has over 20 years of experience in service industry. Graduate in Production Engineering and an Alumni of Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Raju is certified by Thomas International to administer and analyze psychometric profiles. He is also certified by ESCP Europe for Managing Business in Global Context. He has in past worked in Telecom, Capital Markets and ITES industry.

During his last one decade in executive search, he has partnered several large, medium and start-up organizations in Technology, Engineering, Infrastructure and Financial Services space for their hiring needs. Raju started his executive search career with 3P Consultants as a Principal Consultant. He then worked with ABC Consultants as their National Head IT Practice and later High Circle. He joined Ikya as Partner in the Executive Search business and then went on to head the Engineering, BFSI and Consumer Practices of Ikya’s recruitment business. Prior to joining 3P, he was Group Head Human Resources for Ikya Human Capital and it’s subsidiaries.

Elke Vorholt has been a Principal at Penrhyn International since 2002 from the very start of LAB Lachner Aden Beyer & Company GmbH. She has more than 15 years of experience in executive search with a particular emphasis energy & utilities as well as public-private-partnership markets. Her areas of focus include mostly European clients, e.g. Energy producers, energy supplies, green power and companies which provides services to these clients.

Before, she had been appointed Research Coordinator of the European Energy & Utilities Practice of Heidrick & Struggles, based in Düsseldorf.

Elke speaks German, English and fair French. She holds a diploma (Diplom-Kauffrau) in Business Administration.

Representative assignments:

CEO Regional Energy Infrastructure Company
CFO Green Power Plant Producer
Managing Directors Gas Storage Company
Managing Director IT Service for Utilities
VP Trading Energy Supplier
VP Power Generation Leading Utility