Stephen P. Mader

Vice-chairman & managing director, Board Services, Korn/Ferry International

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Company Info: Korn/Ferry International

Web site: www.kornferry.com

Address: 265 Franklin St., 17th Floor, Boston, Mass. 02110

Phone: 617-790-5700

E-mail: steve.mader@kornferry.com

Advice: Leaders have to mobilize groups. That takes strong communications skills coupled with personal authenticity because

Qualities sought in emerging leaders: Never measure your career by positions, only by achievements. To learn to be the best, run with the best; being No. 3 with a winner is better than being No. 1 with mediocrity. Always remember that personal insecurity and leading are mutually exclusive. Organizations are people. In order to lead, you have to be interested in people and what makes them tick, and you have to be good at it.

Sector specialization: All sectors

Job function specialization: Board directors, CEOs

Geographical Focus: North America

Companies I often recruit for: Hartford Financial Group; Newell Rubbermaid; Humana ; Arrow Electronics; Navistar

Favorite historical figure: John F. Kennedy

Education: Purdue Univ., BS, Mechanical Engineering, 1969; Northeastern Univ., MBA, Executive Program

Languages: English

Employment history: Korn/Ferry, Vice-Chairman & Managing Director, Board Services Practice, 2007; Christian & Timbers (CTPartners), 1994–2007, Vice-Chairman, Board Services, 2005–07, CEO, 1999–2005; COO, 1994-99

Other interests: Golf, running, nonfiction

Professional/Membership Affiliations: Purdue Univ. Alumni Assn.; John Purdue Club

Experience in executive search consulting: 19 years

High Profile Placement: CEO, Arrow Electronics, 2002

Other paths I might have pursued: Journalist

The global business trend that will most influence corporate performance in the future: International boundaries are collapsing. The welfare of an individual country cannot be separated from the welfare of the globe. We used to think of globalization as countries competing, with tariffs, trade agreements, intellectual-property transfers, etc., as facilitators. We have to give that up; we have no choice. Countries aren’t going to compete in the future, only companies. It is the ultimate victory of private enterprise. It is being led by companies forming global footprints and addressing markets rushing toward an amazing sameness.