Thursday, 31 March 2011 Enter Search Keywords Go My Account

Privacy Copyright Online Subscription Terms Conditions of Use Print Subscription Terms Help & FAQ

emailprint- font+font

REINVENTION: DARREN CHALLIS1 hours 7 minutes ago | Leo D'Angelo Fisher

Like many lawyers, Darren Challis decided that the law wasnot for him. However, his five years as a corporate lawyer withMinter Ellison was indirectly responsible for putting Challis onhis preferred career path: executive search.

This unusual career deviation placed Challis in the right spotlast year, when he was chosen to set up the Australiansubsidiary of United States-based global executive searchcompany, DHR International .

Challis left the law to undertake an MBA at the AustralianGraduate School of Management, now the Australian School ofBusiness at the University of NSW . Six years as a management consultant at Boston ConsultingGroup followed before he joined Fairfax Media (publisher of BRW ) as a senior executive incommercial strategy and new media.

So why the switch to executive search? “By definition, search finds you,” he smiles. It took some timefor Cupid’s arrow to find its mark. Egon Zehnder International first approached Challis while he was atBCG and discussions took place off and on over four years. It was while at Fairfax, in 2006, thatChallis realised how much he missed being in the role of “trusted adviser”.

Challis spent the next three years as a search consultant at Egon Zehnder, before being headhunted by DHR. When Challis set up DH International – as the firm is known locally – in Sydney last June, itwas just him. He now has a staff of four and the aim is to build a business of 10 consultants by 2015.“It’s been a very satisfying experience,” he says.

DHR was founded by David Hoffmann in 1989. Hoffmann, who is group chairman and chief executive, decided to establish an Australian presence when he was working on a search assignment in the USfor an Australian client. “He felt it was a good time to move into Australia, particularly given a relativelystrong market across Asia during the global financial crisis compared with Europe and the US,” Challissays.

Running DH International has confirmed Challis’s passion for search. “I get a lot of enjoyment out ofbeing a trusted adviser and being in a top-tier global search firm I can pursue that relationship oftrusted adviser in a very personal and privileged way,” he says.

“Every day I’m talking to chairmen, CEOs and other senior executives about themselves and theirteams, about their careers, their lives and their aspirations for themselves and their businesses.”

BRW

Related News

TOPICS Employment & Industrial Relations, Media & Marketing/Publishing & Media,Technology/Telecommunications

Leo D'Angelo Fisher

Making property investment easy.Invest in secure worry-freeproperty with DHA.

Business Congress 2011. Save $300Inspire new ideas & thinkingOver 40 business experts

New Resource for Resources!Exclusive and dedicated coverage.FREE 14 DAY TRIAL – click here.

advertising

sponsored links

Home

Reporter MelbourneLeo D'Angelo Fisher specialises in management and leadership issues, emerging companiesand corporate strategy. He is a former editor of Rydges magazine, deputy editor of Far EastBusiness, deputy editor of Business Queensland and a senior business writer at The Bulletin. Hewrote the book Rethink: The Story of Edward de Bono in Australia.

Management updateSix local leaders receive global recognitionUniversity opts for French connectionNew business chamber for women

Home Sections Lists Columns BRW TV Subscribe Sign Out

About BRW Events Advertise Newsletters Contact Us Network Sites