Spencer Stuart hires Bill Launder as chief communications officer

Spencer Stuart, a Chicago-headquartered organizational consulting and executive search firm, has hired Bill Launder as its first chief communications officer.

Based in New York, Launders brings more than 20 years of communications and journalism experience. In the newly created role, he will lead Spencer Stuart’s global communications strategy – elevating the firm’s voice, strengthening brand and reputation, and deepening engagement with clients and stakeholders.

Launder joins from Prudential Financial, where he spent the last seven years and was head of corporate communications – overseeing media relations, corporate reputation, executive messaging, crisis preparedness, and financial communications. Before that, he was VP of corporate communications at Discovery Inc. and an associate at Brunswick Group, where he advised Fortune 500 clients on corporate communications and reputation issues.

Launder spent the first nine years of his career in journalism, working as a reporter at The Wall Street Journal, American Banker, and The New York Times.

He has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University.

“We operate at the intersection of talent and strategy, and how we communicate our insights and impact is increasingly important,” said Jordan Brugg, CEO of Spencer Stuart. “Bill’s combination of in-house corporate communications experience, advisory perspective and newsroom instinct will be instrumental in strengthening how we tell our story, reinforcing our role as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and their organizations around the world.”

Spencer Stuart was founded in 1956 and provides services in executive search, board recruitment, board effectiveness, succession planning, executive assessment and development, culture change, and performance acceleration for senior leadership teams. The firm has over 3,000 people across more than 60 offices in 30+ countries.

“Spencer Stuart is a true leader in the global advisory industry, with unmatched talent, insights and relationships with the world’s most important leaders and organizations,” said Launder. “I’m thrilled to join the Spencer Stuart team at this important moment and look forward to helping shape the firm’s evolving story on behalf of our clients and colleagues around the world.”