-- Addition of BTG, pioneer of the high-end independent talent 
     marketplace, establishes Heidrick & Struggles as a market leader 
     in the growing on-demand executive and project-based talent space

  -- Acquisition consistent with Heidrick & Struggles' long-term 
     growth initiative to expand its leadership solutions and capabilities 
     to address new and ongoing client imperatives

Heidrick & Struggles ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3119854-1&h=3195967076&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heidrick.com%2F&a=Heidrick+%26+Struggles 
) (Nasdaq: HSII) today announced it has closed the acquisition of Business 
Talent Group ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3119854-1&h=2496962630&u=https%3A%2F%2Fbusinesstalentgroup.com%2F&a=Business+Talent+Group 
) (BTG), a leading marketplace for high-end independent talent on demand. With 
this acquisition, Heidrick & Struggles becomes the first global leadership 
advisory firm to offer the full spectrum of executive and high-end talent 
solutions – from on-demand, independent professionals to interim executives to 
permanent placements – together with its consulting services.

The addition of BTG complements Heidrick & Struggles' strategic growth 
initiative to expand its suite of executive talent solutions to address new and 
ongoing client demands and builds on a successful two-year exclusive 
collaboration with BTG that began in 2019. BTG will continue to be led by 
Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Jody Greenstone Miller and Amelia Tyagi, and operate 
as a wholly owned subsidiary of Heidrick & Struggles.

Krishnan Rajagopalan, President and CEO, Heidrick & Struggles, stated, 
"Heidrick & Struggles was a forerunner of the executive search industry when 
the firm was founded more than 65 years ago. The seismic changes over the past 
year have accelerated the future of work and underscored the importance of 
agile leaders and workforces. We are excited to be the first global leadership 
advisory firm to enter the on-demand, independent talent space and partner with 
BTG, a leader and pioneer of the high-end independent talent marketplace."

Rajagopalan continued, "The high-end independent talent market continues to 
grow, and that growth will only increase as demand for speed, agility and 
flexibility in closing critical leadership gaps rises. Our two-year 
collaboration with BTG served as a highly successful proof of concept for the 
on-demand, independent model at the executive level. By combining our premier 
global executive search capabilities with BTG's unmatched on-demand marketplace 
for independent professionals, we are uniquely positioned to fulfill all of our 
clients' talent needs, whether it is an immediate project-based role or a 
permanent placement."

Jody Greenstone Miller, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, BTG, said, "Heidrick & Struggles 
is a true innovator and visionary in its recognition of how the rising use of 
independent talent, particularly at the executive level, and the paradigm shift 
in attitudes toward on-demand and remote work are benefitting clients and 
talent alike. Companies increasingly recognize that they need to tap on-demand, 
independent talent for essential project-based assignments, a trend which the 
pandemic has advanced."

Miller added, "Heidrick & Struggles' executive search capabilities combined 
with our on-demand, independent talent marketplace brings the future of work to 
companies right now. Blending the capabilities of a respected global leader in 
executive search with BTG's on-demand, independent talent marketplace will 
boost BTG's ability to scale globally and create exciting new opportunities for 
both BTG's and Heidrick & Struggles' clients. BTG looks forward to continuing 
to bring this new human capital infrastructure to a broader group of clients to 
help them get complex, mission-critical work done, while also giving top 
business professionals – who increasingly are choosing to work independently – 
access to more great projects."

BTG will continue to provide clients seamless on-demand access to top 
independent talent, including professionals with deep industry and functional 
expertise for interim leadership roles and critical, project-based initiatives, 
such as performing a market assessment, developing an ecommerce strategy, 
standing up a PPE supply chain or placing an interim CHRO to prepare for an 
IPO. BTG's marketplace and unique model deliver the right independent talent on 
demand by blending proprietary data and technology – including the private and 
confidential First Look (R) project-bidding platform that ensures the most 
efficient pricing – with a dedicated Talent Solutions team.

BTG's fourth annual High-End Independent Talent Report ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3119854-1&h=3763806544&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcts.businesswire.com%2Fct%2FCT%3Fid%3Dsmartlink%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fresources.businesstalentgroup.com%252Fhigh-end-independent-talent-report%252Ftalent-trends-2021%253Futm_medium%253Dpublic%252520relations%2526utm_source%253Dpress%252520release%2526utm_campaign%253D2021%252520High-End%252520Independent%252520Talent%252520Report%2526utm_content%253Dtext%26esheet%3D52380165%26newsitemid%3D20210217005300%26lan%3Den-US%26anchor%3DHigh-End%2BIndependent%2BTalent%2BReport%26index%3D2%26md5%3D443565a2fa5d0888886010af211fce1b&a=High-End+Independent+Talent+Report 
) underscores how leading companies are turning to independent professionals to 
fill critical skill, expertise and leadership gaps for a range of specialized 
mission-critical projects. In particular, the report shows the use of 
independent talent increasing at senior levels with nearly 69% of all requests 
coming from VPs and above, including 30% from the C-suite, an increase of 67% 
year over year.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Heidrick & Struggles

Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII) is a premier provider of global leadership 
advisory and on-demand talent solutions, serving the senior-level talent and 
consulting needs of the world's top organizations. In our role as trusted 
leadership advisors, we partner with our clients to develop future-ready 
leaders and organizations, bringing together our services and offerings in 
executive search, diversity and inclusion, leadership assessment and 
development, organization and team acceleration, culture shaping and on-demand, 
independent talent solutions. Heidrick & Struggles pioneered the profession of 
executive search more than 65 years ago. Today, the firm provides integrated 
talent and human capital solutions to help our clients change the world, one 
leadership team at a time.(R) www.heidrick.com

About Business Talent Group 

Business Talent Group (BTG) is the leading talent platform that connects top 
independent consultants, subject matter experts, project managers and interim 
executives with the world's best companies. BTG's marketplace and unique model 
provide just the right on-demand talent needed: remote or on-site, part-time or 
full-time, individuals or teams, all around the world. More than 50% of the 
Fortune 100 trust BTG to curate, vet and deliver legally compliant talent who 
fuel growth, innovation and performance improvement. For more information, 
visit businesstalentgroup.com ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3119854-1&h=1026965980&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcts.businesswire.com%2Fct%2FCT%3Fid%3Dsmartlink%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fbusinesstalentgroup.com%252F%253Futm_medium%253Dpublic%252520relations%2526utm_source%253Dpress%252520release%2526utm_campaign%253D2021%252520High-End%252520Independent%252520Talent%252520Report%2526utm_content%253Dtext%26esheet%3D52380165%26newsitemid%3D20210217005300%26lan%3Den-US%26anchor%3Dbusinesstalentgroup.com%26index%3D5%26md5%3D14a3dc1aa0dd337b1c9f1ec3779f491d&a=businesstalentgroup.com 
) and join the conversation on Twitter ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3119854-1&h=334330661&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcts.businesswire.com%2Fct%2FCT%3Fid%3Dsmartlink%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Ftwitter.com%252Fthebtg%26esheet%3D52380165%26newsitemid%3D20210217005300%26lan%3Den-US%26anchor%3DTwitter%26index%3D6%26md5%3D91a49943babf7632df42fe1c08027665&a=Twitter 
) and LinkedIn ( 
https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3119854-1&h=1562727170&u=https%3A%2F%2Fcts.businesswire.com%2Fct%2FCT%3Fid%3Dsmartlink%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.linkedin.com%252Fcompany%252Fbusiness-talent-group%26esheet%3D52380165%26newsitemid%3D20210217005300%26lan%3Den-US%26anchor%3DLinkedIn%26index%3D7%26md5%3D05b045674326dd50849e1fa67952aea7&a=LinkedIn 
).

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements, 
including, without limitation, the statements made concerning the proposed 
transaction, and are made pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private 
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify 
forward-looking statements by the following words: "may," "will," "could," 
"would," "should," "expect," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," 
"estimate," "predict," "project," "aim," "potential," "continue," "ongoing," 
"goal," "can," "seek," "target" or the negative of these terms or other similar 
expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. 
You should read any such forward-looking statements carefully, as they involve 
a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may cause actual results 
to differ significantly from those projected or contemplated in any such 
forward-looking statement. Those risks, uncertainties and assumptions include: 
(i) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations 
and the potential difficulties in employee retention as a result of the 
proposed transaction; (ii) risks related to diverting management's attention 
from the Company's ongoing business operations; (iii) unexpected costs, charges 
or expenses resulting from the proposed transaction; and (x) other risks 
described in Heidrick & Struggles' filings with the SEC, such as its Annual 
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. Forward-looking 
statements speak only as of the date of this communication or the date of any 
document incorporated by reference in this document. Except as required by 
applicable law or regulation, Heidrick & Struggles does not assume any 
obligation to update any such forward-looking statements whether as the result 
of new developments or otherwise.

Media Contacts:

Heidrick & Struggles
Nina Chang
nchang@heidrick.com

Business Talent Group
Nyssa Kourakos
nyssa@nkstrategies.com

Source - Heidrick & Struggles