Boom in Financial Markets is Boon to The WhiteRock Group

NEW YORK, May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Financial services can be a wild ride – and The WhiteRock Group is enjoying every minute of it.

The veteran Wall Street executive search and placement firm is expanding its domestic and international footprint and deepening its bench to handle soaring demand for experienced financial services executives across a wide variety of disciplines.

"The financial economy is roaring and we are seeing a renewed all-out war for talent," says Gustavo G. Dolfino, Founder and President of The WhiteRock Group. "In financial centers around the world, major firms are seizing opportunities driven by market dislocation and doing so with a sense of urgency we have not seen in quite a while. As the provider of choice, WhiteRock is there for them."

The firm – with global headquarters in New York – is expanding aggressively into London, Moscow and Hong Kong.

"We are taking the experience, methodology and vast network of The WhiteRock Group and marrying it with deep local market expertise," says Dolfino. "The result is an unparalleled capability to serve clients by matching highly qualified candidates with precisely the right opportunity – a win-win for firms and talent alike."

Dolfino adds: "WhiteRock is a leader in helping senior financial executives take a significant next career step – reinventing themselves, for example, from sell-side to buy-side or from domestic to international. And for our client firms, we actively advise on highly creative compensation packages that ensure all interests are 100% aligned."

The firm's innovation in compensation structuring advisory has received extensive coverage on Wall Street, where comp packages are the focus of ongoing discussion. Star performers have bolted from tightly-controlled sell-side firms in favor of hedge funds and asset management firms. The WhiteRock Group helps firms develop highly creative compensation packages that bring in – and retain – the right people by ensuring they are compensated fairly and appropriately.

Says Dolfino: "It used to be 'get me a person.' Now it's 'get me a person and find me a way to pay him or her, soon.' Our value as a global financial services executive search firm goes beyond just our network of who we know – it goes right to the heart of how our clients do business."

Along with adding offices, The WhiteRock Group is also beefing up its own executive team. Major new hires and promotions include:

• Amit Matta – Promoted to Partner from Managing Director. Prior to joining WhiteRock, Matta worked in risk at JP Morgan, in hedge funds at Societe Generale and was Head of Risk and Strategy at Nikko Asset Management. At WhiteRock he is head of our industry leading capabilities in the areas of risk management, quantitative research and hedge funds.
• Caroline McDonald – Managing Director and Head of the Technology and Investment Banking Practices. McDonald's background includes leading roles at HP as Global Director for Financial Services Business Development and CEO for various private equity and venture capital groups.
• Lise Burkard-Vacca – Managing Director and Head of Markets.  Burkard-Vacca previously was a convertible sales trader at Furman Selz. Ms. Burkard-Vacca is an experienced search professional having previously run her own financial services executive recruitment firm.  
• Vita Dauksaite - Vice President and Deputy Head of Eastern European Practice. An attorney by training, Dauksaite specializes in M&A and finance and comes to WhiteRock from Lithuania's top law firm - Lideika, Petraukas, Valiunas & Partners.

Finally, in order to better align the firm with client business lines and candidate areas of expertise, WhiteRock has reorganized into eight practice areas:

• Research – Equities and Fixed Income
• Sales and Trading – Equities and Fixed Income, encompassing credit and rates
• Investment Banking – Corporate Finance, M&A advisory
• Legal and Compliance
• Global Asset and Wealth Management
• Alternative Investments – including Hedge Funds, Private Equity and Venture Capital
• Technology -  specializing in Financial Markets IT
• Risk Management and Quantitative Analytics

About The WhiteRock Group

WhiteRock leverages deep sector knowledge and worldwide executive network to find the right individual for every opportunity and create win-win situations for hiring companies and candidates. WhiteRock's managing directors have direct experience working with global financial services firms. This firsthand sector knowledge provides a measurable competitive advantage over typical "headhunters" and leads to successful placements and productive long-term relationships.

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Gustavo Dolfino

http://www.profnetconnect.com/gustavo_dolfino  

SOURCE The WhiteRock Group LLC