Mercuri Urval

We are proud to welcome Kavya Paravastu to MU. Based in the firm's India office, Kavya will support the client delivery and business across the APAC region. "I was particularly drawn to how MU integrates science-based assessment, with deep business insight to ensure leaders are selected—and developed—based on their actual ability to create results. That combination of rigor, objectivity, and measurable impact really stood out to me." - Kavya Paravastu Welcome to MU Kavya, we are thrilled to have you on the team! Read more about Kavya here: https://lnkd.in/dVkBTG3k and you reach out to her directly at +917842861212 and kavya.paravastu@mercuriurval.com #mercuriurval

We are grateful and inspired to have taken part, for the third time, in this year’s Board of the Year awards, a celebration of courageous leadership, collective wisdom and the impact that truly effective boards can have on society for non listed companies in Belgium. As a proud partner of the awards and ‘De Bestuurder’, MU was honoured that our MU BoardScan™ contributed to the jury’s insights. Combining behavioural evidence with governance best practice, it offered a deeper lens on what differentiates boards that don’t just oversee organisations, but help them thrive. “It was a privilege to serve as a member of the jury, and to share a keynote during the ceremony on a topic close to my heart: the transformative power of meaningful board evaluation. When boards take the time to reflect, learn and evolve, they strengthen not only their own effectiveness but the long-term resilience of the organisations they guide.” – Hilde Vanderschelden, Group Director at MU Warm congratulations to all nominees and winners Bewel, Arseus Medical and Asap.be - Enjoy your job. Your commitment to excellence sets a powerful benchmark for responsible and forward-looking governance. At MU, we remain dedicated to helping boards make better leadership decisions. With clarity, purpose and integrity we support in effectiveness through Board analysis and advise, composition, search. Watch the video from the awards here: https://lnkd.in/d4Bak_Yq #Bestuurvanhetjaar #Governance #LeadershipExcellence #BoardEffectiveness #MercuriUrval

MU Board & CEO Practice supports Executive Search and Board Reviews.   Doris Hofmeister, Partner and Board & CEO Practice Lead in Austria hosted the first Board Forum taking place on November 13 in Vienna. The event took place in cooperation with Doris’ network partner Zukunft.Frauen Alumnae Club represented by Sylvia V. Director, Federal Ministry for Economy, Energy and Tourism.   Board Members from different industries met to discuss the topic of Board Effectiveness – Is your Board ready for the future.   Ann Boffé, Partner, and Hilde Vanderschelden, Group Director, representing MU Board & CEO Practice from MU Belgium reported the latest results of a running survey concerning Board Effectiveness.   The amount of engagement required of board members has gone up dramatically and it’s not letting up.   🔹 Increased change and complexity combined with reduced trust in corporate leaders have exponentially increased demand on boards and has become more complex than ever. 🔹 On top of traditional Board duties comes navigating new and diverse risks and opportunities from AI to geopolitics. Board work matters more than ever.   Best practices to develop and test for Board Effectiveness and how participants secure agility in their boards to adapt to changing times were shared amongst the audience. If you are interested to join the Board Forum 2026 reach out to Doris Hoffmeister here on LinkedIn or at Doris.Hofmeister@mercuriurval.com   Thank you to everyone who participated in the MU Board Forum! Alexander Lehner Kerstin Neuhold Elisabeth Guertler Zeller Andreas Harald Pflanzl Gabriele Schallegger Karin Schmidt-Mitscher Beatrice Schobesberger Sylvia V. Eleonore Ogrinz Ozlem Dikmen (she/her) Jutta Perfahl-Strilka Rita Jakusch Erich Holzer

Blended finance has been an effective strategy for combining public and private capital to fund sustainability-focused development projects.   For foundations and family offices, blended finance offers a way to multiply their philanthropic and impact capital by mobilising private investment.   Specifically for APAC:   🔹 75% of APAC family offices (which have grown sixfold since 2019) have been engaging in philanthropic donations, with a focus on education, community development, and healthcare. 🔹 The number of private foundations in Asia has grown by approximately 60% over the past decade, driven by wealth expansion and an increasing focus on purpose and value creation.   While this trend is likely to continue, there is a strong need for family offices and foundations to strengthen their internal capabilities beyond deal structuring.    This includes fundraising capabilities, aligning interests with mainstream investors, adopting a more patient approach, fostering strong collaboration with multiple parties within the ecosystem, and managing expectations effectively due to varying objectives.   Gabriel Nam, our MU ESG Expert and a Certified ESG Analyst, has been actively addressing the evolving talent requirements in the family office and foundation space in conjunction with the private sector, particularly in the APAC region. He would be happy to discuss his observations and the latest trends. Reach out to him directly here on LinkedIn or at gabriel.nam@mercuriurval.com   Source: AVPN Asia Philanthropy Landscape, The Asset, Convergence

Are you interested to know what it means to be a part of MU? We had an insightful conversation with Gro Reinertsen, Partner and Director at MU Norway, who shared her experience. “At MU, I can merge my curiosity with my expertise, driving impactful outcomes through authentic engagement and reliable advice. The collaborative culture here not only enhances our performance metrics but also contributes to a work environment we can all be proud of.” Want to learn more about Gro's journey? Click here to read her full story: https://lnkd.in/duRxdfm5

We are happy to announce that Rik Zuidmeer has taken on the role as MU’s Global Head of Executive Interim!   As the Global Head of Executive Interim, Rik will work closely with all dedicated MU consultants to provide swift and exceptional Interim solutions for clients worldwide, ensuring they receive the right Interim Leaders quickly and tailored to their unique needs.   “I really look forward to working with all MU colleagues worldwide to provide our clients with a swift and effective solution to their temporary vacancy needs. By combining our 60 years of expertise in selecting people with a decisive working approach, we will definitely be able to find the sweet spot between speed and quality.” – Rik   “Thanks to Rik for taking on this challenging and exciting opportunity for MU. I had the privilege to work with Rik for many years already and I am looking forward to support and work together with Rik again to build a unique and beneficial service for our clients. Rik has proved in all his roles in MU in the past that he is the right person to build a business from scratch and to implement well working processes and structures to the best value of our clients.” – Andreas Frische, CRO    Are you interested in learning more about MU’s Interim solutions? Reach out to Rik directly at: Rik.Zuidmeer@mercuriurval.com Read more about Rik here: https://lnkd.in/diWQWXkR

What is the biggest challenge for your Board to be truly effective? Take our 2-minutes survey and share your experience.   By answering a few short questions on board evaluations and board–executive collaboration, you’ll contribute to a clearer picture of what drives high-impact governance and leadership today.   👉 Participate in the survey here: https://lnkd.in/dNx7Q873   Your insights matter, thank you for being part of the dialogue.   And make sure to follow us for the Survey results!

Curious about what it’s like to work at MU? We had an insightful conversation with Daniel Peter Paul Müller, Partner and Director at MU Switzerland, who shared his experiences with us. “Your career is not a predefined path; it’s something you actively design. At Mercuri Urval, I’ve found a culture that rewards initiative and long-term thinking, allowing me to stay true to my values while continuously evolving professionally.” Want to learn more about Daniel's journey? Click here to read his full story: https://lnkd.in/dJWwcVVa

Redefining Convenience Retail: Leadership and Innovation Beyond the Forecourt At ANUGA Fair 2025, we had the great pleasure of hosting an inspiring Executive Breakfast with Jan Starken, Managing Director of Shell Convenience Retail/Carissa, and Richard Moore, CEO of MU Group. In a live interview moderated by Florian Schmitz, Partner and Global Head Consumer & Retail at MU, leaders from across the international food industry gathered to discuss the future of the convenience retail business beyond traditional gas stations—and the leadership it takes to drive that change. Are you interested in what the insights from the Executive Breakfast was? Read the full recap here: https://lnkd.in/dhC-aaut

We are happy to share that Caroline Winten has joined MU as a Consultant in MU Spain. With over 20 years of HR leadership experience across the EMEA region, Caroline has partnered with senior executives and leadership teams to drive people strategy, leadership development, and organisational growth across Retail and FMCG sectors. As an experienced HR leader and certified executive coach (ICF ACC, Gallup), Caroline has been blending her broad coaching experience with her HR expertise; supporting leaders to unlock their potential, build cohesive and high-performing teams, and strengthen organisational effectiveness. Caroline is passionate about developing leaders and building strong, purpose-driven teams. She has extensive experience in shaping talent and learning strategies, fostering organisational transformation, and helping individuals and teams thrive through strengths-based approaches. Read more and here: https://lnkd.in/dZdQsXHi and reach out to Caroline directly at caroline.winten@mercuriurval.com