Building Effective Talent Ecosystems
Show notes
In this episode of the Leaders in Talent podcast, Lucy O’Brien, Head of Talent and Ecosystem at Eight Roads, joins us to share her extensive experience in executive search and her current role driving value in a global venture fund. Lucy offers insights into the importance of network building, the challenges of scaling organizations, and the strategies she employs to advise founders on talent acquisition and people strategies.
With a career spanning companies like Nestle, Vodafone, Korn Ferry, and Facebook, Lucy explains the nuances of her roles and how she’s adapted to continuously provide value. Tune in to learn about building a successful network, understanding market dynamics, and fostering a culture of trust and agility in leadership.
Timecodes:
00:44 Welcome to the Podcast: Meet Lucy O’Brien
01:27 Lucy’s Career Journey: From Executive Search to Eight Roads
02:10 The Importance of Networking in Executive Search
07:46 Transition to Eight Roads: Embracing the Startup Ecosystem
09:53 Role at Eight Roads: Supporting Portfolio Companies
17:44 Challenges and Strategies in Talent Acquisition
23:49 Personal Inspirations and Career Advice
25:38 Current Projects and Future Goals
27:08 Conclusion: Connecting with Lucy O’Brien
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Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/matchr/
Get in touch with us: https://www.matchr.io/who-we-are/contact/
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Connect with Lucy O’Brien: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucyobrien1/
Connect with Adriaan Kolff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriaankolff/
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Books recommended by Lucy:
- “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg
- “Drive” by Daniel Pink
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RSS feed: https://media.rss.com/leaders-in-talent/feed.xml
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Transcription
Adriaan: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of the Leaders in Talent podcast. Today, I am excited to welcome Lucy O’Brien. Lucy is Head of Talent and Ecosystem for Eight Roads. She advises founders on their talent strategies, helping them to take their C-level and board hiring to the next level, while also building the ecosystem of Eight Roads for their investors, partners, and experts. Prior to Eight Roads, Lucy’s career spans over two decades in executive search, working at companies like Nestle, Vodafone, Korn Ferry, and Facebook. Lucy, welcome to the podcast. Great to have you here. I’m happy that we’re finally able to have this conversation together.
Lucy, you have over two decades of working in executive search and then moved to a very different role as Head of Talent and Ecosystems at Eight Roads. I would love to zoom in on both your two decades in executive search and also your role at Eight Roads. Let’s first start with your first two decades of experience, right? You worked in-house at companies like Nestle, Vodafone, and Facebook, but you’ve also been on Korn Ferry’s consumer search team. For you, how stark was the difference between working in executive search in-house and then moving to Korn Ferry’s consumer search team?
Lucy: What I learned in-house was that network is your net worth. Getting things done, particularly in global businesses like Nestle, Vodafone, and especially Facebook, depends entirely on your ability to gain consensus cross-functionally by building trust and demonstrating value up and down the organization. To do that, you’ve got to have a network.
Lucy: I saw that for the first time in-house and truly understood it. At Korn Ferry, that was amplified. The network was both internal and external. Often, I was delivering on large project-based assignments with delivery teams spanning a host of geographies. I was responsible for the delivery of up to 120 hires for some clients; other cases were far more specialized. So, as you can imagine, the variety of search work I’ve covered over time has been huge.
Lucy: I started my career focused on difficult-to-fill searches for a small consumer-focused boutique, primarily focused on buying and merchandising mandates for companies like John Lewis. I built out a GM proposition back in 2005 and later did the same for Asda when they introduced homewares into their stores. I’ve hired showroom coordinators for the likes of Tommy Hilfiger and built out Howard’s GM proposition. From there, I moved to Korn Ferry, where I was working with large manufacturing companies. This eventually led to my time at Nestle, where I worked on up to 70 mandates at any given time, some functionally aligned across Nestle’s UK and Ireland business propositions.
Lucy: Later, I led an M&A project for SMA, which was acquired and transitioned into Nestle Nutrition’s portfolio. I reorganized the entire team, relocated them to Gatwick, and worked on client relationships like Nespresso, managing all their HQ and external recruitment needs. My time culminated with Facebook, where I worked on some of the most niche searches in my career, including a director of board governance role for Nick Clegg’s organization.
Adriaan: Yeah, you started by saying your network is your net worth within those organizations. How did you develop that network both internally and externally during your time at Korn Ferry?
Lucy: It’s a good question. I think you’ve got to understand that if you don’t deliver value, you’ll quickly become forgotten in such a large environment. You have to deliver value rapidly. By building relationships with people who have bigger networks, you can find solutions. For example, when I was at Facebook, I worked on public policy hiring for the first time. I relied on my network across different geographies, who had connections with NGOs and diplomats—people who weren’t on LinkedIn and required market handpicking. That’s when I truly realized the importance of networks.
Adriaan: Is it just about asking for help, given we’re all a few handshakes away from anyone, or is there more to it?
Lucy: It’s about knowing who to ask. No one tells you how to build a network within an organization. So, for me, it’s about coming in, being curious, listening, and understanding who’s who. Then, it’s about building the right relationships to get things done. It takes time, but it all starts with understanding the world you’re in.
Adriaan: Why was this particularly important at Facebook? Was it the nature of the roles you were working on?
Lucy: Facebook is a huge organization, very well networked. Some of the work I was doing was so niche that I had to work closely with people like Sir Richard Clegg to understand the environments I was trying to penetrate. Building that network was crucial for attracting the right talent.
Adriaan: After almost 20 years, you moved to Eight Roads. Tell me more about that transition and your role.
Lucy: My time at The Up Group, where I spent three years before joining Eight Roads, really hooked me on the startup and VC-backed ecosystem. I’ve seen the challenges founders face firsthand—my brother-in-law and sister both run businesses. I wanted to get closer to that ecosystem to help drive value and make a difference. Eight Roads came along at a really interesting time, and I loved the diversity of their portfolio and team. My role is a newly created one, and I focus on advising portfolio companies on scaling, building teams, and making network introductions.
Lucy: I also host webinars to support founder development and group learning. But everything revolves around network and ecosystem value, which is where my experience in executive search really comes into play.
Adriaan: For our listeners who may not be familiar with Eight Roads, could you tell us a bit more about the company and what you’re known for?
Lucy: Absolutely. We’re an $11 billion global venture fund, typically investing in companies at Series B and beyond. We help these companies scale internationally. What makes us unique is the diversity of our portfolio and our team. We invest across a range of domains, from HR tech to advanced analytics, and currently have 450 portfolio companies globally, 60 of which have IPO’d, including unicorns like Alibaba, Toast, and HiBob.
Adriaan: Where does your role fit within this landscape, and did it exist before you joined?
Lucy: It didn’t exist in the truest sense. My role was newly created, and each person who does a similar role approaches it differently. My background is in executive search, so I’ve tried to leverage that experience. I support our investor teams by introducing the right experts, helping them get to know leadership teams early on, and supporting founders post-investment. A lot of my role is about community building and network introductions, and I spend a lot of time on the road meeting with CEOs and CPOs.
Adriaan: With a global portfolio of 450 companies, how do you prioritize your time and focus?
Lucy: I primarily focus on our European portfolio, which is about 50 companies and growing. I’ll be deeply involved with around 10 companies at any one time, which is manageable. I start by regularly catching up with our investors and board members to understand what’s front of mind, and from there, I prioritize what’s truly important.
Adriaan: And how do you measure success in your role?
Lucy: It can feel intangible at times. Success is measured through NPS, feedback from our founding teams, and making sure we’re delivering the right value. I don’t have a huge platform to lean on, but I have an incredible team of 12 venture partners, partnerships with experts like Pay for compensation advice, and Pavilion for go-to-market talent.
Adriaan: From your perspective, what role do you see recruitment and talent acquisition playing in both your portfolio companies and Eight Roads itself?
Lucy: At Eight Roads, we believe in Europe’s ability to create global champions, and that requires attracting and retaining the best talent. The talent gap in the sector continues to widen, so my role is to stay on top of shifting trends, inclusive culture design, and identifying the best ways to tap into diverse talent pools. We’re continually investing in broadening perspectives and skills within our own team as well.
Adriaan: Are there examples of best-in-class companies from your portfolio that stand out in terms of attracting and retaining top talent?
Lucy: HiBob and AppsFlyer were both named to the Forbes Cloud 100 list. HiBob, for example, has scaled internationally while maintaining a local feel in different markets. When you walk into their offices, you can feel the excitement and connection to their mission, which is a hallmark of a successful team.
Adriaan: Do you share those learnings across the portfolio?
Lucy: Yes, I make introductions between portfolio leaders who have done things particularly well, and we host webinars to share insights across different functional leadership groups.
Adriaan: You’ve worked with ambitious founders and leaders. What universal traits do you see in those who succeed?
Lucy: It’s about being best placed to solve the problem at hand and having passion and pattern recognition. Agility, the ability to continually learn, and instilling confidence are key traits.
Adriaan: Is there anyone who’s helped you progress as a leader?
Lucy: Years ago, I read Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In, which had a big impact on me. She talked about surrounding yourself with the right people, which led me to reassess my life and eventually move to London. Another book, Daniel Pink’s Drive, has also inspired me, particularly on the psychology behind workplace interactions.
Adriaan: What’s something exciting you’re currently working on at Eight Roads?
Lucy: I’m focused on scaling network creation and value. I’m trying to crack the nut of how to scale and productize while offering a white-glove approach to dealing with people.
Adriaan: Finally, what’s the best way for our audience to connect with you?
Lucy: Reach out! I believe in giving back and always try to take time for conversations when I can.
Adriaan: Thank you so much for being on the podcast, Lucy. It was an absolute pleasure!
Lucy: Thank you! It was great to be here.
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