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Jill Ader

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+44 20 7943 1913

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Jill Ader is a Senior Advisor at Egon Zehnder. She was elected Chairwoman of our global firm in 2018 and completed her term in October 2022. Previously she held several global leadership roles over two decades. She set up the Firm’s CEO Practice and led its London office and Global Consumer Practice. Jill founded our global Executive Breakthrough Program and the Discovery Program for CEOs focused on transformation and development that we run in partnership with Mobius. She’s now based in London, having spent four years in Zurich. Jill is passionate about unlocking the potential of serving and aspiring CEOs and advises clients worldwide on CEO and board succession and development.

The world needs more great leadership, which is what Egon Zehnder is all about. We not only find but also develop top leaders, teams and boards. That inspires me.

As Chairwoman, Jill was committed to driving our Firm’s evolution as we sparked a global movement of leadership as a force for good in the world. She has been a keynote speaker and panellists at leadership and DE&I events around the world.

Before joining Egon Zehnder, Jill focused on retail, strategy consulting and venture capital. She earned an MBA from London Business School. Jill and her husband Roger have three adult children. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, in the countryside, walking their dogs and playing tennis.

Jill Ader, ehemalige Chairwoman von Egon Zehnder, hatte in den vergangenen Jahren bereits eine Reihe entscheidender Funktionen in unserem Unternehmen inne. Dazu zählen die Leitung unserer Global Consumer Practice und unseres Londoner Büros ebenso wie die Gründung unserer CEO Practice. Außerdem hat Jill Ader unser weltweites Executive Breakthrough-Programm sowie das Discovery-Programm ins Leben gerufen, das sich in Zusammenarbeit mit Mobius Executive Leadership auf die Transformation und Weiterentwicklung von Führungspersönlichkeiten fokussiert.

Genau hier sieht Jill Ader ihre berufliche Leidenschaft: die Potenziale aktueller wie auch künftiger Vorstandsvorsitzender zu fördern und unsere Klienten bei der CEO- und Vorstandsnachfolge zu begleiten. Gleichzeitig treibt sie als Chairwoman die Evolution von Egon Zehnder und damit eine Bewegung von Führungspersönlichkeiten voran, die unsere Welt zu einer besseren machen wollen.

Vor ihrer Zeit bei Egon Zehnder war Jill Ader in den Branchen Einzelhandel, Strategieberatung und Venture Capital aktiv. Ihr Studium schloss sie mit einem MBA-Abschluss der London Business School ab. Jill Ader verbringt ihre Freizeit bevorzugt mit ihrer Familie – sie und ihr Mann Roger haben drei erwachsene Kinder –, auf dem Land, mit ihren Hunden oder auf dem Tennisplatz.

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Thought Leadership

Thought Leadership by Jill Ader

“Don’t Hide Behind a Concept!” – How to Overcome Diversity Fatigue

“Don’t Hide Behind a Concept!” – How to Overcome Diversity Fatigue

We spoke with Kay Formanek, author of "Beyond D&I: Leading Diversity with Purpose and Inclusiveness," about her Diversity, Equity & Inclusion insights. Read more

CEO Insights — Volume 27: Reconnecting and Reinventing Over Resigning

CEO Insights — Volume 27: Reconnecting and Reinventing Over Resigning

Moving through the Great Resignation, CEOs can build connections and foster transformation by evolving and adapting themselves. Read more

More of Myself

More of Myself

A reflection from Jill Ader and Martin Knudsen, following a gathering with CEOs and Board members that was co-hosted by Erica Ariel Fox and… Read more

Egon Zehnder to be Carbon-Neutral by End of 2021, Cut Carbon Emissions by 25% by 2024

Egon Zehnder to be Carbon-Neutral by End of 2021, Cut Carbon Emissions by 25% by 2024

Carbon emissions reduction is part of the Firm’s long-term support of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and its own environmental, social and governance (ESG)… Read more

Goodbye to groupthink

Goodbye to groupthink

Diversified perspectives make for better solutions. Read more

Egon Zehnder Reports Strong 2020 Results Amid Pandemic and Economic Crisis

Egon Zehnder Reports Strong 2020 Results Amid Pandemic and Economic Crisis

Egon Zehnder, the world’s leadership advisory firm, announced strong 2020 annual results, despite a challenging year for nearly all businesses. Read more

Chairwoman Jill Ader at Out Leadership's 2021 Quorum Summit

Chairwoman Jill Ader at Out Leadership's 2021 Quorum Summit

Chairwoman Jill Ader joined a panel with Out Leadership CEO & Founder Todd Sears and former EY partner Beth Brooke to discuss the importance… Read more

CEO Insights — Volume 19: Looking In to Lead Out: Revitalizing CEO Leadership

CEO Insights — Volume 19: Looking In to Lead Out: Revitalizing CEO Leadership

This is a promising moment in time for CEOs to consider how they want to show up as leaders, to listen for and look… Read more

Rising to the Occasion: Leadership, COVID-19 and Change

Rising to the Occasion: Leadership, COVID-19 and Change

Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Jill Ader spoke with IndustryWeek to discuss how leadership has changed from the COVID-19 crisis. Read more

Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Stands Against Racism, Discrimination, and Social Injustice

Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Stands Against Racism, Discrimination, and Social Injustice

Egon Zehnder Chaiwoman Jill Ader shares her response to the death of George Floyd and the protests happening across both the United States and… Read more

Self Needs To Be In The Lead

Self Needs To Be In The Lead

A video message from Chairwoman Jill Ader on why and how leaders need to dig deeper than ever into the core of who we… Read more

Making Meaning Out of Mixed Messages

Making Meaning Out of Mixed Messages

In a video message, Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Jill Ader shares how to address paradoxes rather than shying away from them. Read more

Leadership for a Better World Begins Right Now

Leadership for a Better World Begins Right Now

Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Jill Ader shares three behavioral shifts for leaders navigating COVID-19. Read more

Deutsche Welle – Jill Ader Praises Davos Commitments and Now Calls For Action

Deutsche Welle – Jill Ader Praises Davos Commitments and Now Calls For Action

Leaders at Davos are showing a real sense of conviction about doing more for the environment but now need to translate their words into… Read more

From Expert to Legal Leader

From Expert to Legal Leader

Over the last decade, industries and companies have been roiled by more dramatic and more fundamental change than ever before. In this VUCA (Volatile… Read more

St.Gallen Board Retreat 2020

St.Gallen Board Retreat 2020

A joint initiative by the University of St.Gallen and Egon Zehnder, the Retreat has been designed for Europe’s leading Chairpersons and Non-Executive Directors to… Read more

Board Retreat 2020

Board Retreat 2020

A joint initiative by the University of St.Gallen and Egon Zehnder, the Retreat has been designed for Europe’s leading Chairpersons and Non-Executive Directors to… Read more

“Good ideas can come from anywhere” – Jill Ader interviewed by Switzerland’s CNNMoney

“Good ideas can come from anywhere” – Jill Ader interviewed by Switzerland’s CNNMoney

Jill Ader, Chairwoman of Egon Zehnder, shared her insights on top management trends with CNNMoney Switzerland. “We need really curious leaders”, states Ader, “because… Read more

A Global Conversation About HR

A Global Conversation About HR

A 5-part report on how HR leaders can reshape the future of the function. Read more

An Ego Represents a Risk

An Ego Represents a Risk

In an exclusive interview with the Swiss Handelszeitung, Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Jill Ader explains why the ability to self-reflection is one of the most… Read more

Curiosity and Humility – Jill Ader interviewed by Switzerland’s Handelszeitung

Curiosity and Humility – Jill Ader interviewed by Switzerland’s Handelszeitung

What’s changing at the top level of corporate management? Jill Ader, Chairwoman of Egon Zehnder, provides insights in an interview with Swiss newspaper Handelszeitung.… Read more

Fortune – Social Purpose Is Imperative for Competitive Hiring Today, Executives Say

Fortune – Social Purpose Is Imperative for Competitive Hiring Today, Executives Say

Corporate leaders say that to fare well and draw top workers in today’s competitive, Millennial-skewed labor market, there’s a new business imperative: social purpose. Read more

Süddeutsche Zeitung – A Gentle Revolution: An Interview with Jill Ader

Süddeutsche Zeitung – A Gentle Revolution: An Interview with Jill Ader

Jill Ader is the first woman at the helm of Egon Zehnder. For her to reach that position, it meant breaking a long-established in-house… Read more

 Financial Times – Why a Leader’s Past Record is No Guide To Future Success

Financial Times – Why a Leader’s Past Record is No Guide To Future Success

Economist, politician and corporate lawyer Christine Lagarde’s extensive resume indicates a fitting suit in the role of running the European Central Bank— regardless of… Read more

Financial Times - Egon Zehnder's Jill Ader: Challenging Partnership Traditions

Financial Times - Egon Zehnder's Jill Ader: Challenging Partnership Traditions

In an exclusive interview with the Financial Times, Egon Zehnder Chairwoman Jill Ader discusses Egon Zehnder's commitment to diversity, the changing state of leadership,… Read more

Handelsblatt - The Chief Huntress

Handelsblatt - The Chief Huntress

For the first time ever, there’s a woman at the helm of Egon Zehnder. Ader, who hails from the UK, is out to reform… Read more

Chairwoman Jill Ader On the Impact of Leaders & Daughters

Chairwoman Jill Ader On the Impact of Leaders & Daughters

This International Women's Day, I’m thrilled to announce the launch of Egon Zehnder’s 5th annual Leaders & Daughters event series, Power Moves: A New… Read more

The Biggest Missed Opportunity at Davos: Forging Real Connections

The Biggest Missed Opportunity at Davos: Forging Real Connections

As a second-time invitee to the World Economic Forum in Davos and the former Chairwoman of Egon Zehnder, Jill Ader discusses an overlooked opportunity… Read more

Talouselämä –  The end result of gender equality research: At current pace, equality will never happen -

Talouselämä – The end result of gender equality research: At current pace, equality will never happen - "If the pace is so slow, something is wrong"

An international study of management teams from the leadership consultancy Egon Zehnder paints an unhappy picture of equality progress. Although the proportion of women… Read more

Egon Zehnder's First Lady

Egon Zehnder's First Lady

Chairwoman Jill Ader discusses the future of leadership in a feature with Wirtschaft Magazine. Read more

Edilson Camara Appointed as Egon Zehnder Chief Executive Officer

Edilson Camara Appointed as Egon Zehnder Chief Executive Officer

Edilson Camara has been appointed as Egon Zehnder Chief Executive Officer. He will work with Chairwoman Jill Ader to drive growth. Read more

Fortune — How Companies like Intuit, TD Securities, and Egon Zehnder Are Striving For Gender Equality

Fortune — How Companies like Intuit, TD Securities, and Egon Zehnder Are Striving For Gender Equality

Egon Zehnder chairwoman Jill Ader discusses gender equality in her panel session at Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit Read more

Congratulations to Jill Ader as She Assumes her Role as Firm Chairwoman

Congratulations to Jill Ader as She Assumes her Role as Firm Chairwoman

Jill Ader officially assumes the role of Chairwoman of Egon Zehnder, the world’s leadership advisory firm, following her election by the firm’s partnership earlier… Read more

Manager Magazin – Less Isolated

Manager Magazin – Less Isolated

In an exclusive interview, chair-elect Jill Ader talks about the new challenges that CEOs are facing today. Read more

Board Retreat 2019

Board Retreat 2019

A joint initiative by the University of St.Gallen and Egon Zehnder, the Retreat has been designed for Europe’s leading Chairpersons and Non-Executive Directors to… Read more

Jill Ader to Chair Egon Zehnder

Jill Ader to Chair Egon Zehnder

Jill Ader elected Chair of Egon Zehnder by the partnership of the world’s leadership advisory firm. Appointment marks first female leader of a global… Read more

Financial Times – How Can Women Leaders Craft a C-Suite Career

Financial Times – How Can Women Leaders Craft a C-Suite Career

What is the right route to the top for ambitious women leaders? Female executives are usually told that P&L, with its implied responsibility for… Read more

Board Diversity: Time to Pick up the Pace

Board Diversity: Time to Pick up the Pace

The number of women in top management roles is rising, but the pace of change remains painfully slow, reports Andrew Hill in the Financial… Read more

CEO Succession Study “We should have started earlier”

CEO Succession Study “We should have started earlier”

Everyone agrees that CEO succession planning is critical. Yet many Chairmen are concerned that their own companies are underprepared for a change of CEO… Read more

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Yoshiko Ogawa is active in Egon Zehnder’s Technology & Communications, HR and Sustainability Practice Group. Read more

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