Membership
Nicole Sandford Joins Ellig Group to Lead Global Board Advisory Services
Ellig Group has tapped corporate governance veteran Nicole Sandford to lead its newly expanded Global Board Advisory Services Practice. Joining the firm this week as EVP, Global Board Advisory Services Leader, Sandford, a retired Partner in Deloitte's Board Advisory Services practice, brings 25 years of deep experience working in the governance space at Deloitte, where she helped develop the Deloitte Center for Corporate Governance.
"We are delighted to further expand Ellig Group's core search platform to offer a broader range of board search and related advisory and assessment services; Nicole brings strong leadership to head up this team that will be a vital part of our growth," says Janice Reals Ellig, CEO of Ellig Group. "She will continue her extensive experience working with boards and CEOs on a global level around issues critical to their business."
"I've worked with many executive search firms over the years, and when it comes to delivering a focused effort to identify exceptional, under-the-radar candidates, I don't think anyone can compare to Janice and the Ellig Group team," adds Sandford. "Janice's work related to C-Suite and board diversity in particular has been an inspiration to me and many others."
"Joining Ellig Group as it reimagines executive search is a powerful driver for me," says Sandford, "as they are a leader in ensuring that candidates are aligned with the organization's strategy, culture, growth plans, and stakeholders. The market is ready for a new approach – it has to be about more than presenting the same names."
Ellig Group's Board Advisory Services focus on practical improvements to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of governance processes in organizations. The firm's work engages boards and CEOs around the most strategic elements of governance, including value-driven director and CEO succession planning and ongoing board skill development and education.
Complementing its Board Advisory and executive search services, the firm provides clients a holistic approach to talent identification and development through its executive assessment capabilities, AI/analytics, and leadership development and onboarding programs. The firm's commitment to supporting diverse and inclusive leadership has resulted in a demonstrated long-term track record where 75% of executives and 85% of board directors placed in client organizations being women and leaders from underrepresented groups.
While at Deloitte, Sandford helped dozens of public and private companies across industry sectors – including several large global banks – to transform their boards and organizational governance. As the founding member of the Deloitte Center for Corporate Governance, she spearheaded the firm's first board diversity initiatives and led its response to milestone legislation and regulation (including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act). She is currently the Vice Chairman of Girl Scouts of Connecticut, board member of the Stamford Public Education Foundation, and Emeritus Member of the Advisory Board of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. Her past directorships include the Society of Corporate Governance and The Global Partnership for Afghanistan. Sandford's work has been recognized with awards including the Millstein Center at Yale's Rising Star of Corporate Governance and the World of Difference Award from The International Alliance for Women.
