IRVINE, California, November 30, 2016 McDermott & Bull, the 29th largest executive search firm in the Americas and the fastest-growing firm within the Hunt Scanlon Top 50 Recruiters list, announced today the hiring of Jake Vander Zanden as Principal Consultant.  Vander Zanden will lead the firm’s fast-growing Life Sciences Practice.

“We are delighted to welcome Jake to the McDermott & Bull team,” said Rod McDermott, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of McDermott & Bull.  “His experience growing and scaling companies, as well as his passion for developing people and building teams, will be a huge asset for us, especially during our next phase of growth.”

Vander Zanden brings more than 25 years of life sciences industry experience, including 15 years in a variety of senior global roles with Allergan Pharmaceuticals.  He has a proven track record of driving growth and completing turnarounds for companies like Medtronic, Lumenis, and Hoya Surgical Optics.  Jake founded VANDER ZANDEN Group in 2006, an international consultancy that helped companies grow their businesses in a variety of international markets, including Japan via a partnership with inFinitures Consulting.  Most recently, Jake was Chief Commercial Officer at Presbia, where he helped to both launch and grow the company, as well as complete a $50M IPO.

Vander Zanden is an Expert in Residence at Applied Innovation at the University of California, Irvine.  He is a past board member for Prevent Blindness America, and a Coordinator for Meals-in-a-Box, an organization which provides food and aid for veterans and their families.

Vander Zanden holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and Management from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota.

About McDermott & Bull 

McDermott & Bull has been redefining expectations within the world of executive search since 2001.  The firm’s practice leaders, all of whom have substantial executive experience, are uniquely positioned to address the dynamic leadership demands of public and private companies across nearly every industry.  With the advent of MB Interim Leaders in 2011, McDermott & Bull is powerfully equipped to service both the permanent and interim needs of its clients.  Respected companies including Broadcom, Cisco Systems, Chicken of the Sea, Western Digital, Golden State Foods, Google, Panda Restaurant Group, Honda Center/Anaheim Ducks, Comerica Bank, Union Bank, as well as portfolio companies owned by private equity firms such as Riverside Company, Sun Capital Partners, ClearLight Partners, Swander Pace Capital, Chicago Growth Partners, and Riordan, Lewis & Hayden, have all partnered with McDermott & Bull.  Additionally, the firm’s Executive Network program provides valuable resources for and offers opportunities to build meaningful relationships with thousands of C-Suite and VP-level executives throughout the country.