[Wikimedia-l] Your support is wanted: The WMF Board of Trustees is looking for a new Board member

[Theo10011]

On Sun, Feb 17, 2013 at 6:37 PM, Dan Rosenthal <swatjester at gmail.com> wrote:

> Correct me if I'm wrong, but the WMF has used Oppenheim before for senior
> level hiring (appointed board members and maybe C-suite level staff? I'm
> not sure about that last one, but I'm almost certain I recall the WMF has
> used Oppenheim for executive searches before.) My understanding is that the
> value in the prospect is simply because Oppenheim simply has a wider reach
> and base of contacts than the WMF does. If memory serves, they were the
> ones who found Geoff Brigham, and I believe they also found the replacement
> for Veronique as CFOO. I'm not really sure why this is suddenly a concern
> now, and not before, especially given the quality of success they've had in
> the past.
>

I'd have to agree with Dan here. This is a very visible and important
position, this should require professional consulting and proper vetting
before someone is appointed. A recruiting service will have a wider reach
and better experience with suggesting suitable candidates. I also don't see
how simply appointing a chapter or community person would make this any
more balanced, since they both have separate elections every year.

Since both of you are involved with Chapters and the WCA effort, you
shouldn't be strangers to outside consultation. I think a few of the larger
chapters have approached recruiting agencies for filling vacancies, then
there was the "SG" position that was also going to be filled through a
recruiting agency. I hope also don't need to point out that you have
already consulted outside agencies for an organization that doesn't exist
yet.

BTW Itzik, you answer some of your own concerns pretty well here[1].

Regards
Theo

[1]
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_Chapters_Association/Resolutions/2012_SG_recruitment#Person_before_location.3F